


Episode 1-09 - "The Human Condition, Part 1"

by stgjr



Series: Undiscovered Frontier Season 1 - "Seeking the Past" [9]
Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003), Multi-Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Multiple Crossovers, Multiverse, Space Opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-12 23:08:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10501368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stgjr/pseuds/stgjr
Summary: The Aurora and Koenig crews successfully contact the Battlestar Galactica and the last survivors of the Colonies of Kobol.





	1. Chapter 1

 

**Teaser**

 

_Ship's Log: 1 June 2641; ASV Aurora. Captain Robert Dale recording. We have arrived in the target area to begin our search for the Human vessel called "_ Galactica _". I'm pleased to report that the_ Koenig _has completed repairs and will be joining us and the runabouts in a search pattern._

_In the weeks we've spent coming out this far, I've been wondering just what kind of people we'll find out here. With the Earth of this universe a radioactive ruin we know they are the descendants of survivors of some kind, but we know nothing about their culture or society except that they still speak English. We have to be ready for anything._

Robert sat alone in the crew lounge with a plate of replicated hash browns and sausage with an apple. He sipped at the orange juice and took another bite while reading over one of the most recent examinations of N2S7's wrecked Earth. Earth had been a ruin for millennia according to this, with nearly three thousand years being the estimate for the atomics that ruined the world. _The early space-faring Gersallians even detected the atomic detonations._

"Hey, reading anything interesting?"

Rob looked up and watched Tom Barnes sit across from him, a bowl of cereal and some mashed Gersallian breakfast fruit. "Hey Tom. Looking for another day of work?"

"Tell me about it. Thirteen days at Warp 9.2? Every system is getting regularly checked over."

"I've noticed the reports," Robert remarked, still staring at his notepad. "Scotty's keeping you working?"

"Obviously," Barnes remarked. He shoveled some cereal into his mouth and gulped it down almost without chewing. "This is the longest we've ever run the warp engines continuously. We've had a few issues with it. Looks like the _Aurora_ wasn't the marathon runner we hoped she was."

"We've never had to run the warp drives this long before." Robert tapped the notepad to shut it down and focused on his breakfast.

"Well, man, it's always nice to get where we need to go fast, right?" Barnes chuckled and dug his spoon into his cereal again. "We'll probably need a full yard overhaul to get all the kinks out, though." He looked up and saw Robert staring into the notepad. "Hey, this is Defense Command to Captain Dale, anyone home?"

"Huh? Oh." Robert moved the notepad away. "I'm just reading up on N2S7's Earth."

"You mean the one that was blasted to atomic rubble thousands of years ago?", Barnes asked bluntly.

"Yeah. I'm just wondering what these Humans will be like. I mean, they still speak English, but who knows how different they are?"

"We'll find out soon enough with Cat on sensors," Barnes remarked. "I think she's been bouncing non-stop the last two weeks."

"We're in a barely-charted reach of space, of course she is."

"Heh." Barnes took a bite of cereal. "So you're just letting Zack go? Just like that?"

Robert set down the fork-full of hash browns. "Not my choice," he finally said.

"Really? C'mon man, have you even tried talking him into not going?"

"I have. It didn't work." Robert sighed. "Zack's committed to going out on his own."

"And you're just going to let him do it?", Barnes asked, unable to hide the accusation in his tone.

Robert thumped his cup down on the table. "What do you want me to do, Tom? If I tell him no he's just going to send the request up the ladder! And then I won't be able to make sure he's at least getting an assignment he'll do well at!"

"Can't you get Maran to block it too?"

"I'm not sure. Not over something like this. Just because I might want something doesn't mean Maran or President Morgan will give it to me. I'm the subordinate, after all." Robert sipped at the juice. "If you want to talk him into staying, fine. Go ahead and try. But so long as his request stands, I have to let him go."

Barnes grumbled inaudibly. "I just don't want him ending up under some asshole who gets him killed."

"Nor do I," Robert remarked. "But it's his choice." Robert looked down at his multidevice. "I don't want to fight about this, Tom. I've done all I can and it's not enough. Now we'd better get breakfast wrapped up, staff meeting's in an hour."

"Yeah yeah..." Barnes sullenly went back to work on his cereal.

 

 

 

Julia was taking her breakfast in her small office, going over personnel reports in the meantime. She looked up at hearing the door chime go off. "Come in."

Zack stepped in holding a notepad. He set the tablet device down on her table. "I finished the personnel list. The replacements I've gotten from the _Aurora_ are getting their bunks today, Apley will see to it."

"That's good," she answered, smiling thinly. "I'm glad we got your crew back up to full strength."

"I wish we had more time to train them," Zack remarked. "But my people will get them up to speed no matter what."

"I'm sure of that. You've got a good crew." Julia's thoughts briefly went to her command of the ship a couple of months before, when Zack was stuck to the machine on Adrana and she had to command the _Koenig_ to investigate a raid on an Alliance colony. "So..." She put her hands together on the desk. "Is it me?"

Zack didn't have to ask what she meant. He figured this conversation was coming the moment he'd made his decision. "No, I'm not leaving because of you," he said. It wasn't a lie but, of course, it wasn't entirely the truth either. "I lived for years knowing you didn't share my feelings. The only thing that's changed is that you know what I feel."

That made Julia swallow. "Yeah. Listen, Zack... I..."

"You don't have to say anything else," he insisted. "Honestly, Julie, I think Davies was right about one thing. I need the space. I've been following you guys around ever since my baseball career tanked and I've got to move on my own. It's not because of you or Rob or anyone, it's just that..." Zack stopped and struggled for the right wording. "...I need this, Julie. I need to get on my own for a while."

"It might not just be for a while, Zack," Julia pointed out. "You might never get re-assigned to the _Aurora_."

"Then I don't, but I'd rather try."

Julia saw she wasn't going to convince him and took in a breath. She felt like this was her doing, that he was doing this to get away from her in particular because she had... what, been honest with him about her feelings? Yes, that was it, and it was just a bad situation all around. She couldn't blame him for it, but she couldn't blame herself either.

"Then... just take care of yourself, okay?", she said, giving in.

He smiled and nodded. "You know I will."

As he left, the second thought in her head was _And stay away from the tequila_. She looked to the time and went back to work, knowing the meeting was just half an hour away.

 

 

  
**Undiscovered Frontier  
_"The Human Condition_ , Part 1"**

 

 

 

The command crews of the _Aurora_ and _Apley_ were assembled in the Conference Room at the right time. Robert nodded to Jarod, who opened the meeting. "We've reached the general area that the long-range probes indicated for _Galactica_ 's course through this region of space," he said to everyone. "We already have long-range sensors actively scanning for any trace of them."

"It's goin' tae be like lookin' for a micro-fracture in a warp assembly," Scotty muttered. "I cannae give ye any better on th' sensors, sir."

"I'm more concerned about our warp drive status, Mister Scott," Julia said.

"Ye dinnae need tae worry about a thing, lass. We've had a few wee issues from th' constant run, but that's just givin' her more breakin' in. A little yard work when we get back tae dock an' me bairns will be better than ever."

"To get back to the search, Mister Scott's right about how hard it is," Locarno said. "The search pattern could take weeks to fully cover everything on their projected course."

"Which is why we're setting up the net. _Koenig_ and some of the runabouts will launch and take up part of our search patterns." Robert looked to one side of the long table. "Jarod, will we have any issues with maintaining a real-time sensor connection between the ships?"

"There will be some time delay at longer ranges, especially for data coming from the runabouts," Jarod answered. "We can get around that by dropping signal boosters at regular intervals."

"A good thing we stocked up on those," Zack said.

"Which runabouts will we keep in reserve?", Julia asked. "Are we really going to commit all of them?"

"The more we have, the better the net," Jarod pointed out.

"Exactly my thought," Robert said. "Put them all out. Six man crews. Even the _St. Johns_."

Julia nodded. "Scraping together the crews is going to mess with department scheduling, I'll make sure the department heads know what's going on."

"Jarod, make sure Lucy's ready, she'll be in command of the runabouts from the _Rio Grande_."

Meridina looked up. "Captain, I would request that I join her on the _Rio Grande_."

"Is this about that training?"

"Yes. She is still very early in it, she will need my presence," Meridina answered.

Robert gave Julia a look. Julia shrugged lightly, as if to say 'You're the boss'. "Alright. Commander Kane, I'd like you to coordinate with Meridina's assistants on ship security."

"Of course, sir," Kane pledged.

"Do we have any idea of what kind of superluminal drive they have?", Julia asked. "It'd help with the search pattern."

"Nothing definite," Caterina answered. "I went over all of the probe records, the probes have picked up bursts in subspace but nothing compatible with a warp drive."

"What about a hyperdrive? Like the Goa'uld have?"

She shook her head. "If they had something like that it'd be showing up on sensors already. This is something localized. I've got some theories, though."

"Oh?", Julia asked.

"Well, there's a few ways to go faster than light," Cat pointed out. "Warp drive is one of the easiest ways. Goa'uld hyperdrive accesses subspace directly, that's why it's so fast. And then there are mass effect fields and the Mass Relays... actually..." Caterina activated the hard-light keyboard for her point of the table and began hitting keys. The main monitors shifted to show readings. "This is a compiled sample of the subspace bursts we're picking up," she explained, showing one reading. "And this is the result of a ship activating a Mass Relay."

Side by side, the two readings were clearly distinct, but Robert and the others noticed not completely distinct. "Aye, I see what ye mean, lass," Scotty said. "Th' principle is different, but look at that profile."

"Are you saying these ships are carrying their own Mass Relays, Cat?"

"Uh, no," Cat answered Julia. "The effect is all wrong. Mass effect fields don't have those ripples in the Groenitz-Hallen bands."

""And the energy profile's still off," Jarod added. "The similarities are the result of the burst sending mass through the subspace domain in a single pulse. I would actually suggest their drive system is some kind of jump drive. Point-to-point, I mean."

"The Darglan had knowledge of those kinds of drives," Caterina confirmed. "They just never used them."

"So we're not going to find them at warp?" Robert sighed. "Well, that makes the hunt harder."

"Yes, but if we can get a bead on where they are, we would have a sphere of space that we would know they were inside. Then the trick is to find out how long they have to go between jumps."

"Well, upload those energy bursts into the runabouts and _Koenig_ ," Robert ordered. "Nick, confer with Jarod over the probe records and see if you can find us any point these ships were seen at. We'll use that to start our search pattern."

"Will do," Locarno answered.

"Everyone's dismissed."

 

 

 

Robert went to his ready room off the main bridge after the meeting. It was something Carlton Farmer had adapted from Starfleet when he built the _Aurora_ and Robert found it useful during those times he had to combine a bridge watch with paperwork. For now he sent off a quick report through subspace to be relayed to Admiral Maran, detailing they'd arrived at their target site and would commence the search.

After that he took a moment to look over reports from S4W8. Admiral Lithgon had been giving him regular updates since they'd set out. For all the good it did (and Robert didn't know how much that was), Lithgon had sent a letter to the Defense Committee supporting his decisions over the LA33 mission. After considering the situation for the moment Robert moved his fingers over the controls and opened an interuniversal comm line to the _Liberty_ , Lithgon's flagship. After a minute Lithgon's face appeared on his monitor. " _Captain Dale. Any luck on your mission?_ "

"We're commencing the main part soon." Robert took a breath and settled his thoughts. "Sir, anything new?"

" _We've had reports of Reich activity along the periphery of the Krellan Nebula_ ," Lithgon answered. " _Several of their battle squadrons have been deployed. I've moved the Fourth Fleet to our side of the Nebula in case they are planning something. So far they've refused all attempts at contact._ "

"I see. As important as my mission is, sir, I wish I were there. If a war starts it's my fault."

" _Don't think like that, Captain. You did your mission under adverse circumstances. Keeping that technology from Reich discovery was worth the risk. Don't doubt that._ " Lithgon's clipped Commonwealth accent sounded soothing over the communication channel. " _And if it comes to war, we'll hold the line._ "

"Of course, sir. _Aurora_ out."

" _Godspeed, Captain._ " Lithgon disappeared from the screen.

Robert barely had time to look at paperwork for the door chime sounded. Julia walked in and he motioned to a seat for her. "I've made the personnel arrangements. We should be ready to launch in an hour."

"Good. The sooner we settle this the sooner we can be free for other duties."

"You're thinking of S4W8?"

"Yes." Robert lowered his head. "It's my responsibility, Julie. Mine. I mean.... a war because of _my decision_ , how do I live with that?"

"You accept it happened, that it's outside your power."

"Was it?"

"Now's not the time to doubt yourself, Rob," Julia said, her tone a little harsh. "If you start thinking that way you're going to make worse mistakes."

"I suppose. It's just..." Robert shook his head. "Who am I to get to make these kinds of decisions?"

"Someone with a duty, who understood the mission." Julia put her hand on the desk. "I'm going to tell you right now that if it had been me in that chair, _I would have done the same thing_. I would have launched the mission. It had to be done, you can't get around that. So _stop moping about it_."

The heat in her voice made Robert look up at her. "Tough love?"

"No. Tough love is when I smack you in the head for this self-pitying horse crap," Julia responded.

"Yes Mom."

Julia crossed her arms. "And don't 'Mom' me."

He gave up at that point. "Point taken, Julie. I've gotten it out of my system. Now I'll get to my paperwork. Damned paperwork."

"Don't make me get the soap for that potty mouth," Julia teased.

He responded by winking and smirking at her.

 

 

 

The _Aurora_ came out of warp near a solar system with no habitable planets. Everyone was on the bridge now. "I'm picking up trace readings," Caterina said. "It looks like there was a subspace distortion here a few days ago consistent with the burst effects we've been seeing."

"As good a place to start as any," Robert remarked. "Jarod, we're good for launching."

"Yes sir." Jarod pressed a key on his board. "Opening bay doors."

At the back of the neck, where the primary hull flowed downward to the top of the shorter drive hull, the bay doors set into the neck slid open one by one. _Koenig_ detached from her berth under the expert piloting of Creighton Apley under Zack's direction. The smaller attack starship cleared the dock and tilted "upward" compared to the _Aurora_. The _Koenig_ moved across the bridge viewscreen and, with the flash of its nacelles, it elongaged and disappeared in a burst of white light.

After it had launched, a dozen more craft surged from the rear of the ship. The _Rio Grande_ led the way, followed by the _Susquehanna_ and the other runabouts of varying class. Each went out on a different vector and warped away.

"All ships are away. Communications network up and running," Jarod noted.

"Deploy the comm buoy," Robert said. "And then take us out on our next patrol point."

"Yes sir."

A single comm buoy launched from the aft torpedo tube, deploying as the _Aurora_ moved past. A moment later the _Aurora_ turned in space and warped away as well.

 

 

 

In the living area of the _Rio Grande_ , Lucy grimaced and forced herself to focus on the weight in front of her. It levitated in mid-air in the grip of the power surging inside of her. It really wasn't that hard.

It was doing it while upside down and holding herself up with one hand that was the hard part.

"Keep your focus, Lucy." Across from her Meridina was doing the same thing. Both were in exercise uniform wear; sweatpants and sleeveless sweatshirt with their branch colors of beige for Lucy and brown for Meridina respectively. She was holding a larger object, a toolbox, with barely any effort. Lucy found that unfair, as the notepad computer she was trying to levitate wobbled in her "grasp", threatening to fall.

"I'm trying," Lucy hissed.

"With _swevyra_ , you cannot 'try'," Meridina replied. "You must _do_. Otherwise it will not happen."

"Yeah..." Lucy breathed hard and redoubled her effort.

"Commander, Lieutenant?"

The sudden talking jolted Lucy out of her concentration. The notepad clattered to the floor before her. As she struggled to grip it again with her power, she lost the further concentration that helped her stay balanced upside down. She tried to get her other hand over to do a full handstand but couldn't get her hand in place in time. She fell forward, knocking the air out of her lungs with a belly flop on the floor. "Ooof!" With murder in her eyes she looked up at the purple-skinned Dorei male standing at the entrance to the doorway. "What, Petty Officer Lagama?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, sir," he answered, ignoring her death glare. "But we've got something being relayed by the probe in the area, it's on long range sensors currently."

"Plot a course." Meridina bent her right arm, lowering herself to where her hair touched the floor, and then in a single movement jumped off with her hand and somersaulted to an upright position, kneeling as she landed.

Much to Lucy's dismay and jealousy, the toolbox never touched the ground through the entire thing. Meridina plucked it out of the air with her hand and set it down on the nearby stand herself. Lucy groaned with irritation.

 

 

 

The _Koenig_ moved through space under cloak, although with all interior lights set at standard operation. Zack was going over a readiness report on his new transfers while seated in his chair. Seeing the list of fourteen new names reminded him of who he lost, dead crewmates or those too wounded to keep serving. He wished them the best.

"Sir, we have a subspace burst on sensors," Magda reported from Ops. "It matches the drive pulses from the probe records."

"Which group?"

"Unknown, sir. We haven't been able to tell which pulses are from which group yet."

Zack nodded. "Send out the location over the comm network to the other ships. Ap, set a course and engage, Warp 9.2."

"Yes sir, Warp 9.2."

As Apley changed their course and brought the ship past the cruise speed of Warp 7, Zack hit his intercom. "Engineering, we're going to do a little sprinting to investigate a subspace pulse. Keep us appraised on any issue with the engines."

" _Yes Commander_ ," Derbely answered. " _I can give you Warp 9.3 if you'd like._ "

"You heard the woman, Ap."

"Aye sir, 9.3 it is," Apley answered.

Zack could feel the deck plates thrum ever so much as the ship accelerated yet further, moving at an intercept speed. _Let's see what we've found._

 

 

 

Lucy and Meridina had switched into their duty uniforms and joined the rest of the runabout crew. Aside from Petty Officer Lagama was Petty Officer Dugan, Crewman Zuk, and Crewman Li, all taking up posts in the rear stations for supporting Lucy as the pilot and Meridina as the co-pilot and gunner of the craft. "We're coming up on the signal," Petty Officer Lagama said.

"Preparing to drop us from warp," Lucy replied.

"Officer Dugan, make sure we maintain the active subspace link to the other ships," Meridina ordered.

The young lily-complexioned woman behind her nodded. "Yes ma'am."

Lucy brought the ship out of warp toward the edge of the system. "We have ships on long-range sublight sensors," Lagama said. "Reading several vessels of multiple sizes."

"Do we make contact, sir?", Dugan asked.

"It is best to hold back for a moment," Meridina suggested. "I sense that...."

"I'm reading a subspace energy signature building up. Dozens," Lagama said. In the distance, through the cockpit, small stars briefly sparked into existence and faded. "They're gone."

"That must be their jump drive system in operation," Lucy said. "Send it on to _Aurora_. In the meantime, I'll set us on a course to resume patrol."

 

 

 

_Koenig_ dropped out of warp and slowed to a near-relative stop. Magda looked over their sensor readings. "I'm detecting ships nearby. Going by the subspace readings... I think they're our ships that jumped."

"On screen and magnify." Zack looked at he screen and waited for the distant images to zoom in. "What is that...?"

On the screen, a pair of ships twisted quietly in space. It looked to Zack like a pair of three-legged chair bases glued together but slightly off-axis from each other; the result was the top and bottom of the ships spreading out in three arms not directly parallel to each other and a central trunk in the middle. "Those things are huge," Sherlily muttered.

"I'm getting some life sign readings," Magda answered. "Human. But... I don't know. I don't think there's nearly enough life signs on that ship, not unless they have insane levels of automation."

"That would be something," Zack muttered.

"I... wait..." Magda checked a reading again. "They're launching craft. There must be dozens..."

On the screen numerous craft emerged from the ships, looking like a central body with wings to the side. Even larger craft emerged behind them. "I'm not reading life signs on those craft," Magda said. "They've got to be drones."

"Make sure _Aurora_ is getting this," Zack ordered. "Whatever's going on...."

"We've got a subspace pulse! It's another..."

With a button press the screen showed what was empty space... but it didn't stay that way. With flashes of white light ships appeared. They were far enough out that even at maximum magnification sensors couldn't show much detail, certainly not shapes.

"Those fighters and ships are moving on an intercept course toward the new ships," Magda informed him.

"It's an ambush. Great, these people are having a war out here." Zack let out a sigh of irritation. "What do we know about the newcomers?"

"Subspace pulse is consistent with the readings so far. I'm picking up Human life signs. _Lots_ of Human life signs."

"How many?"

"At this range and with our sensors... At least forty thousand," Magda replied. She checked her readings. "Sir... two of the biggest ships are launching fighters and maneuvering to intercept. But most of those ships aren't showing any sign of preparing for combat. From what I see, they don't even have weapons.... and that group of drones is heading right for them." Magda turned and showed Zack how much she had paled despite her rich bronze complexion. "They're carrying high yield atomic warheads."

"Are they raising shields?"

"I don't see any sign of shields from either side. I don't think they have any."

Zack nodded. "Then we take them out, I'm not letting civilians get killed, I don't care who's who. Apley, intercept course, full impulse! Code Red!" With the press of a key red lights switched on around the bridge and a klaxon sounded on every deck, ordering his crew to battle stations. "April, set the torpedoes for proximity detonation, area effect."

"Aye, activating proximity detonators, disengaging charge-shaping measures."

"Magda, inform _Aurora_." Zack watched the lead flight of drones loom on the screens. "We need to take them out before they fire on those civilian ships. Decloak as soon as we're in firing position."

They gained that position soon enough. The _Koenig_ shimmered into view and fired a full spread of solar torpedoes into the mass of drones. The torpedoes closed the distance as the drones began to react and split apart. Zack watched with satisfaction as the torpedoes detonated with brilliant bursts of light, accompanied by further explosions as the drones were blown away by the blasts.

"First wave eliminated," Sherlily reported. "Second wave is coming on. Those other ships' fighters are coming in now."

"Okay, no more torpedoes like that then. We'll do this with phasers. Apley, Attack Pattern Delta. We need to keep them off those civilian ships."

 

 

 

"What in the gods' name is _that_?"

Colonel Tigh's astonished remark was the first to come as the new DRADIS contact blipped into existence. Within seconds Cylon contacts began to disappear from the DRADIS screen. "Lieutenant...?!" He looked sharply at Gaeta.

Lt. Felix Gaeta was shaking his head. "It's not matching any known recognition file. And it didn't even jump in. It just _appeared_."

"What, you're telling me we've got a godsdamned _ghost ship_ out there?"

"It looks like they're on our side." Admiral William Adama looked to Petty Officer Dualla. "Make sure we check fire around that new ship."

"Yes sir. This is _Galactica Actual_ , all Vipers check fire, do not hit the unknown contact, repeat, do not hit...."

On the DRADIS the Cylons were dropping like flies. The second wave was coming in next....

 

 

 

The _Koenig_ came around and came up beside the next wave of drones. Her phasers blazed away blasting one after the other. Several enemy shots struck her shields. "The lack of feedback is a good thing, right?", Zack asked rhetorically.

"Their weapons aren't optimized for dealing with shields," Sherlily said, still focusing on her work.

"Shields still at 98%," Magda confirmed.  A moment later she called out, "Third wave, sir!"

Zack didn't have to give the order. Apley expertly turned _Koenig_ and brought them around to face the third wave, just as the small dart-like fighters from the "friendly" fleet engaged.

 

 

 

"That thing is frakking insane." From the cockpit of her Viper, Lt, Louanne "Kat" Katraine was coming up to engage the incoming Cylons and was starting to feel like her presence was superfluous. The unknown ship was tearing through the Cylons with impunity, pulling sharp maneuvers while amber light repeatedly struck out and blew Cylon ships to shreds. A heavy raider disappeared in a fireball from one barrage of the other ship.

" _You are clear to engage, check weapons on new contact._ "

"Weapons free, people." Kat brought her guns on line and moved to engage. "Check your fire, we don't want to hit that thing."

" _Like we'd do anything to it_ ," another pilot muttered.

"Watch your six, there's still plenty of toasters out there." Even as she said that she watched the newcomer dive into the third wave and start blasting them to pieces. _Not for much longer though._

 

 

 

The _Koenig_ 's phasers were blazing away, the cannons blasting entire lines of enemy fighters apart while the phaser emitters set into the dorsal and ventral centers of the hull lashed out at others. The _Koenig_ was an eagle among sparrows and Zack almost felt sorry for their unknown enemy.

The third wave was the largest and even with the friendly fighters engaged it was taking time to destroy them. Too much time. "Several drones are through, they are firing missiles," Magda said.

"Sherlily, take out those missiles! Use torpedoes if you have to!"

"Aye sir!"

_Koenig_ shot past the attacking drones, focusing her fury on the white lights of missile engines ahead. Several burst into flame under the phaser fire. "Ten seconds to impact, I can't get them all!", Sherlily warned.

"Apley! Put us between them and the target! Extend the shields!"

 

 

 

Radiological alerts went off in the _Galactica_ CIC. "Missiles inbound on the _Faru Sadin_ ," Gaeta warned. "Time to impact twenty.... fifteen...."

On the DRADIS screen Adama and Tigh watched the new contact accelerate ahead. Missiles dropped off the screen. "They're too close, they're not going to stop them all," Tigh said.

The contact accelerated past the missiles and moved beside the _Faru Sadin_. Adama breathed in a sigh; the unknown ship didn't look large enough to survive the missiles about to impact, and the _Faru Sadin_ might still be lost.

"Impact," Gaeta said. The screen showed the impacts with the missiles dropping off the screen, as did the two ships. The blasts cleared and....

The two ship icons were still there.

Tigh's jaw dropped. "That's not possible. They must have taken five hits."

"New contact is maneuvering again," Gaeta confirmed. "I... I don't know how they did it, sir. I'm not picking up any sign that their hull was even effected by nuclear initiation. It's like they have something protecting their hull from direct fire...."

 

 

 

After _Koenig_ stopped shaking, Zack called out, "Damage report!"

"Shields down to fifty percent," Magda answered.

"I thought their weapons weren't made to penetrate shields?", Apley asked.

"Yeah, well, we extended our shields too, so that weakens cohesion," Magda pointed out. A tone came to her board. "Those two capital vessels are moving into engagement range. I'm picking up targeting systems coming online."

"Yeah, what do you want to bet they've got something that can break our shields?", Zack mused. "Evasive maneuvers, Ap. Get shots in when you can."

 

 

 

"Cylon Basestars will be entering weapons range in three minutes." Gaeta checked his screens.

"How long until the Fleet can jump again?", Adama asked.

"About twenty-five minutes," he answered.

"Damn."

"Ready all weapons," Tigh ordered. "Coordinate with _Pegasus_ on the lead Basestar."

"Yes sir.... wait, DRADIS has another contact!"

By the time Gaeta said that, Tigh and Adama were glancing up and watching the new contact appear "over" the fleet. "Do we know what it is?"

"No sir. It's not on recognition charts."

"They're sending out a signal," Dualla added.

"Put them on," Adama ordered.

 

 

 

"Code Red," Julia ordered from her chair, securing her harness in the process. "All hands to combat stations. Launch all fighters."

From his own seat, Robert finished securing himself as well. "Status of the engagement, Jarod?"

" _Koenig_ is showing shield loss. From residual traces the enemy is using atomic weaponry, comparatively high yield. The other ships show no hull damage, but there is a lot of debris from fighter-sized craft."

"Looks like we found a war," Locarno mused.

"Jarod, put me on, open audio and video." Robert cleared his throat. "This is Captain Robert Dale of the Alliance _Starship Aurora_ to the unknown party engaging the civilian ships. If you do not stand down and withdraw, we will engage. Repeat, withdraw or we will engage."

"I'm not reading anything familiar about either side," Caterina said from Science. "But I am picking up signs of low grade naqia power. Almost every ship around us is unarmed. There's about... 50,000 people, maybe, in these ships."

"That's a lot of people crammed together, given the sizes of some of those vessels."

"Agreed, Nick." Robert kept his focus on the ships. When they were clearly continuing to close he turned in his chair. "Angel, give them a barrage from the forward cannons."

"Locking on now," Angel answered, holding back a temptation towards a feral grin.

The _Aurora_ 's forward cannons erupted in sapphire fury. Groups of six large bursts of blue energy hammered into one of the ships repeatedly. Red flame erupted from the battered ship's mid-section and lower body as the pulse plasma cannons hammered it mercilessly. Lights along the lower end went out.

Julia gave Robert a curious look. "Wasn't that supposed to be a warning shot?"

"Quite a warning, too," Jarod noted.

"Looks like it worked," Locarno nodded drolly. "Because they're turning away."

"I'm picking up a power surge inside of those ships." Caterina looked up. "I think they're jumping."

With a burst of white light the enemy ships vanished.

"Are any of the remaining ships the one mentioned in the decrypted message?", Julia asked.

"I'm checking now," Jarod remarked. With the tap of a button he brought one of the remaining ships onscreen and zoomed in on its side, where the text " _Galactica_ " was in view.

"There's my answer."

 

 

 

Adama watched the two Cylon Basestars vanish from the DRADIS board. "Mister Gaeta..."

"I don't know what they fired, sir," Gaeta said, looking over his screens. "It spiked the thermal readings but I've never seen anything like it. I... I don't even think they were rounds."

"Then what else could they be shooting?", Tigh demanded.

Gaeta swallowed. "It might be DEWs, sir. Directed Energy Weapons."

"That's not possible, those never worked," Tigh insisted.

"It's the only thing that makes sense. The speed that their shots crossed the range in and the thermal pattern doesn't match any railgun cannon or chemical propellant I've ever heard of."

"There's one way to find out." Adama picked up the nearest phone receiver. "Put me on."

"Yes sir."

"This is Admiral William Adama, commander of the Colonial Fleet, to Captain Dale of the _Aurora_. I would like to give you my thanks for your assistance."

 

 

 

On the _Aurora_ bridge the voice of Admiral Adama came over the speakers. It sounded rather older, like a rougher version of Admiral Maran, to Robert's ears. He looked to Julia. "Admiral, I'm pleased we could help protect your ships. Are you aboard the _Galactica_?"

There was a brief pause. " _Yes._ "

"Ah." Robert allowed himself a small smile. "Well, Admiral, my ship was sent out to find you after we picked up some of your radio transmissions with long-range exploration probes. I'm here to greet you on behalf of the United Alliance of Systems."

 

 

 

" _....here to greet you on behalf of the United Alliance of Systems._ "

Adama looked over at Tigh and the others, every man looking around in wonder as the voice on the other end made his greeting, now being piped into CIC's speaker systems. "I'll inform President Roslin immediately. But I'd like to ask something first."

 

 

 

Robert shrugged, even though he knew Adama wouldn't see it. He imagined they were teeming with questions. "Certainly, Admiral Adama. What do you want to know?"

" _Are you from Earth?_ "

Julia raised her brow and gave him a knowing look. Robert nodded at her in acknowledgement. "Yes, Admiral Adama....."

 

 

 

" _.....we are from Earth._ "

Every breath in the _Galactica_ CIC stopped for a moment.

Adama exchanged a meaningful look with Tigh, allowing the knowledge to root through his brain for a moment. The Thirteenth Tribe wasn't just a legend after all. Even then, though... things felt "off". The _Aurora_ and the other vessel were too _different_. There was something more going on here than finding the lost Tribe from Kobol.

"Thank you, Captain," Adama said into the receiver. "I think it's safe to say President Roslin and I will be very interested to see you."

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aurora and Koenig crews successfully contact the Battlestar Galactica and the last survivors of the Colonies of Kobol.

Robert, Julia, Angel, and Cat were met in the transporter room by Barnes. "Do we have a beamover point?", he asked them.  
  
"A shuttle just left _Galactica_ and is headed for what looks like a liner starship," Julia said. "From what they've said, it's acting as the personal ship of the President of the Colonies."  
  
"Well, that's another mark in them being from Earth, right?", Cat asked. "Calling themselves Colonies, I mean."  
  
"Yes, except they call themselves the Colonies of Kobol, not Earth," Julia pointed out. "At this point we don't know anything about them beyond the fact they speak English and that they're a refugee fleet fleeing the other faction who attacked them."  
  
"I hate going in blind," Robert grumbled. "Hell, we knew more about the Reich when we made contact."  
  
"Yeah. We knew they were Nazis," Barnes pointed out.  
  
"Exactly. We have no idea what these people are like. Anything we say might offend them. We're walking in a minefield here." Robert stepped up to the transporter pad. "Well, I haven't gotten my legs blown off yet. So let's head off into the minefield, huh?"  
  
"I still think we should have taken a shuttle or a runabout," Julia said. "We're going to freak them out."  
  
"They're going to find out one way or another," Robert pointed out. "Best not to hide it."  
  
"Well, let's hope they don't _shoot us_ ," Barnes grumbled, getting up behind Robert on the transporter.  
  
"We're due over there now," Robert said. "Petty Officer, Commander Jarod should have relayed to you our destination ship and coordinates on board. Find the best spot and beam us over."  
  
"And keep a transporter lock on us just in case," Julia added.  
  
"Yes ma'am," the Gersallian woman at the controls said, making her thoughts of who was giving the right orders evident.  
  
"Always having to show me up," Robert teased, shaking his head.  
  
"Covering your ass is my job, Captain," Julia replied with a smirk.  
  
  
  
  
It was with great difficulty that Laura Roslin had pulled her cancer-stricken body to stand and await the newcomers. She had her best dress on and stood beside Admiral Adama. "So they say they're from Earth?", she asked him.  
  
"Yes ma'am, they do."  
  
"And do you believe them, Bill?"  
  
"Honestly, I don't know what to believe. Gaeta is still trying to get a handle on their technology. The ship they call the _Koenig_ survived three direct hits from Cylon nukes and somehow prevented a fourth from hitting the _Faru Sadin_. Gaeta actually thinks their ships are armed with directed energy weapons."  
  
"That would make them even more advanced than the Cylons," Roslin pointed out. And Adama - as well as her aide Billy, who was behind her and to her right - could sense the optimism in her voice. "This might be it. We might actually get away from the Cylons. Maybe they'll even help us retake the Colonies."  
  
"One thing at a time, Madame President."  
  
"Yes." Roslin sighed and grimaced. "Are they on their way yet? What kind of vessel were they bringing...."  
  
Before she could finish the sentence, five columns of white light appeared in front of them and coalesced into five humanoid figures. Everyone save Adama jumped back a step and the presidential guards actually put hands on their weapons. "Admiral Adama. And President Roslin, I'm assuming?" The dark-haired man with green eyes stepped up and offered his hand. "Captain Robert Dale, _Starship Aurora_. My First Officer Commander Julia Andreys, Tactical Officer Lieutenant Angela Delgado, Science Officer Lieutenant Caterina Delgado, and Assistant Chief Engineer Lieutenant Thomas Barnes."  
  
Nothing was said at that moment. "How... how did you do that?", Roslin finally managed.  
  
Julia gave Robert a look, which he ignored. "We use a subspace tunneling effect for site-to-site transport," Robert explained. "I didn't mean to startle, but I didn't want you to think I was hiding this capability from you."  
  
"I see. Well...." Roslin took in a pained breath. "By the Gods."  
  
By this point Adama had gotten over his own shock and was taking stock of the five officers here. They all looked closer to Billy in age than anything. The Delgados were rather obviously related despite their different sizes, close cousins or even sisters. Adama examined their black and color-trim uniforms and noted the insignia on the collar and how the gold stripes worked for signifying rank, with the uniform's color being specialty. "I was hoping to meet the officer who saved the _Faru Sadin_ ," he said.  
  
"Commander Carrey is busy overseeing work on his ship," Julia explained. "He may join us later, or for further talks."  
  
"I see. Before we begin, you need to make sure your computer systems are secure." Adama faced Robert directly at this point. "The Cylons routinely upload computer viruses into opposing ships."  
  
"Thank you for the warning, Admiral." Robert held up his multidevice and triggered the comm unit. "Dale to _Aurora_."  
  
Jarod answered, "Aurora _here_."  
  
"Run a high level security scan on all computer systems, make sure nothing got past our active firewall defenses. Do the same thing on _Koenig_."  
  
" _Understood, sir. Jarod out._ "  
  
"Well, now that we've gotten that settled.... Captain, it's a pleasure." With her shock subsiding Roslin took command of herself and led them back to the conference area. Robert and the others noted that it was all clearly rigged up; liner seats torn out and such to make room for the table. Seats were taken on all sides. "I must say it's an honor to meet you all," Roslin said upon sitting. "Our faith has been rewarded. We've been hoping to find the Thirteenth Tribe."  
  
The others blinked, and at that point Adama's thoughts of how the situation was more than it appeared grew stronger. "Thirteenth Tribe, Madame President?", Julia asked.  
  
"Well, yes," Roslin said. "Our texts speak of the Thirteenth Tribe that left Kobol when we did and traveled to Earth."  
  
"I think I understand," Caterina said, looking to her superiors. "Their civilization was settled millennia ago so it's no wonder...."  
  
"It's no wonder what?", Adama asked.  
  
Caterina blushed and looked peevishly toward him and then her superiors. Robert sighed. "Admiral Adama, we have a large gulf of knowledge to make up, and it's not going to be easy to explain. You need to understand that.... there is more than one Earth."  
  
Adama didn't hide his disbelief. "Excuse me?"  
  
"We have a technology in our ships called interuniversal drive," Robert explained. "It's the foundation for how the Alliance formed, Admiral. And... well, I can see this is going to be a long discussion...."  
  
  
  
  
When the _Rio Grande_ came out of warp the view was amazing. Lucy watched several dozen ships gently move by her cockpit view. "That's an entire fleet of ships, the probe data didn't do them justice."  
  
"I can only wonder what drove so many souls into the void," Meridina answered.  
  
"Well, let's find out what's going on...." Lucy noticed a signal coming in. "Hail from the _Aurora_. Jarod wants us to divert to one of the civilian ships and pick up Robert and the others from a diplomatic meeting when it's over."  
  
"How interesting," Meridina murmured. She felt a sense of unease as the _Rio Grande_ turned toward a long vessel with oval windows.  
  
Lucy looked over at her. "What's wrong?"  
  
"There is darkness here," Meridina answered. "And loss. So much loss. It fuels the darkness I feel." She turned her head. "Do not worry about me. Bring us to our new destination."  
  
  


  
Neither of the Colonial leaders were quite believing what they were being told. "Multiple universes? Earth in all of them? Captain Dale, this is..."  
  
"...hard to believe, I know, Madame President. If I hadn't been there at the beginning I wouldn't believe it either."  
  
"But what about Kobol?", she insisted. "Kobol is where we're from."  
  
"It's more likely that..." Caterina noticed the look Julia was giving her and stopped the line of thought she was having on the real nature of Earth and Kobol. "I'd have to know which system Kobol is in, ma'am, to find out what it's like in other universes."  
  
"I'll provide the navigational information for that," Adama offered, noting Roslin's thinning lip. She was already in her final days and now there were strangers who seemed to be questioning everything she - and most of the Colonies for that matter - believed in.  
  
Julia noticed her waning expression. "Madame President, you don't look so good."  
  
Roslin smiled weakly. "I am in the final stages of breast cancer, Commander. I don't have much time left."  
  
Caterina reacted the strongest to that news, putting a hand over her mouth and letting out a pained gasp. Angel took her other hand and explained, "I'm sorry, Cat's still very sensitive about it. That's how our mother died."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that, Lieutenant." Roslin nodded, looking very worn at that moment.  
  
"Madame President, Admiral, there's still one thing we would like to know," Robert said. "Who are the ones chasing you? Our sensors picked up human life signs on the other ships. Are they some... breakaway faction of your society or a second human one?"  
  
"They're not human," Roslin answered. "They're called Cylons. They're machines who rebelled against us years ago. We let them go and they repaid us by annihilating our society."  
  
Robert and Julia exchanged looks. Suddenly the civilian fleet's purpose became starkly clear. "So you're all that's left?", he asked.  
  
"Yes," Adama replied. "We have over 49,000 survivors from the Twelve Colonies in the Fleet."  
  
"What... what happened to the rest?", Caterina asked, her voice growing shaky.  
  
"The Cylons used a virus to disable our military defenses and annihilated our homeworlds with atomic bombardment," Roslin answered. "They killed billions of our people in the first minutes of the attack."  
  
Robert let out a breath. "My God...."  
  
Roslin and Adama focused their eyes on him. And not in a pleasant way. _And I think I just stepped on a mine_ , he thought ruefully. _So much for never blowing my leg off before._ He swallowed. "I'm sorry, I get the impression that I have just said something wrong."  
  
Julia had already noticed the likely cause, saying, "You used 'Gods' as a plural before."  
  
"Our people worship the Lords of Kobol." Roslin's demeanor was becoming chilly. "The Cylons we've caught have talked about worshiping only one God."  
  
Having been quiet for most of the meeting, and desperately wanting to leave it, that remark finally brought Barnes' attention. " _Religious_ robots?", he said, incredulous.  
  
"A lot of Humans are monotheist in Earth and Earth-descended society," Julia explained in a cautious tone. "The majority hold to one of the Abrahamic faiths. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. And a _lot_ of sects and separate churches within those groups."  
  
"Ten thousand Protestant churches," Angel noted dryly. "Or so my Mother always joked about when she was arguing with door-to-door missionaries on why she remained Catholic."  
  
Adama's mouth curled into a sardonic half smile. "I think you understand our concern about that. But I'm not here to talk about religion. I watched a ship smaller than half of our fleet take three direct hits from Cylon nukes and shrug them off. And in the process it stopped a fourth nuke that should have hit the _Faru Sadin_. I've never seen anything like it, and I'd like to know what it is."  
  
"Energy deflectors," Robert answered. "We sometimes call them deflector shields, or just shields. They protect our ships from weapon fire until they're overloaded and lose strength."  
  
"And the weapons on your ship?"  
  
"Plasma pulse cannons," Angel said, smirking. "I almost wish I'd fired a second barrage, it would have finished that Cylon ship off."  
  
Adama and Roslin exchanged glances.  
  
Seeing a chance to alleviate their concerns over the religious issue, Robert quickly said, "This is why I brought Lieutenant Barnes. We can find ways to engineer shielding generators onto your ships. Your capital vessels at least. It could give you an edge."  
  
"And what will it cost us?", Roslin asked.  
  
"Nothing," Robert replied. "We were sent out here to investigate your people and see if they needed help. You do, so we'll give it."  
  
"We'll have to send people over to see how it would work, mind you," Julia added.  
  
Roslin fixed a look on Adama that showed some skepticism, or so Robert thought. _Would she really think we are some elaborate Cylon plot?_  
  
"I'll have preparations made for you to tour _Galactica_ and _Pegasus_ ," Adama replied.  
  
"Madame President." Julia looked at Roslin. "We have medical technology that can deal with cancer, ma'am. If you like I can have our ship's medical staff try to..."  
  
"Right now that's not important," Roslin interrupted. A diplomatic smile crossed her face. "What's more important is the Fleet. We only have so much food and supplies, if your people could get any more out to us..."  
  
"I'll consult with Command," Robert said. "It will take about a month, at least, for supply ships to make it this far out. Maybe longer since we will clearly need to escort them."  
  
"We'll appreciate any efforts you make," Roslin answered.  
  
There was a beep on Robert's multidevice. He reached over and pressed it. "Dale here."  
  
" _The_ Rio Grande _is ready to dock with_ Colonial One _, Captain,_ " Jarod said.  
  
"Thanks, Commander." Robert looked to Adama, who motioned to one of the guards. "There's something more you need to know, and I'm not sure how I can show this to you so I'm going to say it outright. The Alliance is not just made up of Humans."  
  
"You have machines too?", Adama asked coldly.  
  
"No," he answered. "We have, well, from your point of view and mine, we have aliens. As in sentient non-Human species."  
  
Roslin and Adama stared at him. "Really?"  
  
"Yes, Madame President. Aside from our Human members, the Alliance also consists currently of the Alakin, the Dorei, and the Gersallians. The latter will make you feel more comfortable as they are, by all external appearances, Human as well."  
  
"My Gods...." Roslin looked around wearily. "Captain, this is... I mean, you tell us there is more than one Earth but maybe not more than one Kobol. You say that you travel universes. You worship one god like a Cylon. And now you say you have _aliens_."  
  
"Commander, didn't you assign a Dorei to the _Rio_?", Robert asked Julia.  
  
"Yes sir," she answered. "Petty Officer Lagama, I believe."  
  
"Then perhaps we should introduce him to the President and Admiral," Robert suggested.  
  
  
  
  
The _Rio Grande_ 's side airlock door opened when the _Aurora_ officers arrived with Adama and Roslin, being supported by her aide Billy Keikeya. Lucy and Meridina exited first. "Captain?", Lucy asked.  
  
"Madame President, Admiral Adama, these are two more of our officers," Robert announced. "Lieutenant Commander Meridina, our Chief of Security, and Lieutenant Lucilla Lucero, one of our operations officers."  
  
"Greetings, Admiral." Meridina bowed her head. Her senses told her what her eyes were already indicating from body language and demeanor; he was a formidable man, while the woman at his side possessed a great deal of internal strength even with her body failing. "Madame President."  
  
"They want to meet Petty Officer Lagama," Julia said.  
  
"Of course. Officer, please disembark." Meridina turned back to the door. Lagama emerged. His purple skin was contrasted by the dark teal spots and light blue hair pulled back into a braided pony-tail. The long ears of the Dorei rounded out his alien appearance beyond his basic humanoid form.  
  
Sharp intakes of breath and open startlement struck the Colonials, every one of them. "By the Gods," Roslin breathed. "It's..." She limped another step, as if wanting to see Lagama closer.  
  
"He could have undergone extensive surgery," Adama pointed out, maintaining composure slightly better.  
  
"We can provide genetic and biological samples to your personnel if you want to verify we're not deceiving you," Robert offered.  
  
Lagama smiled softly. "Ah, you worship a house of Gods as well? I had worried that most alien species followed the Lushan and Astra obsessions with singular all-powerful deities."  
  
Meridina contorted her face slightly, showing bemusement. "Human polytheists, interesting. I admit to only passive familiarity with the Hindu religion of Humanity."  
  
"I get the feeling comparative theology is going to be very interesting," Julia remarked drolly.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Roslin leaned more heavily on Billy. "It's been a long day and I need to go lie down."  
  
"I understand, Madame President. Please, feel free to contact our ship if you need anything." Robert looked to Adama. "The same to you, Admiral. I'll have Commander Scott and Commander Jarod begin assembling teams and preparing our replicators to equip your ships with deflector technology."  
  
"I appreciate the gesture, Captain," Adama replied. With Roslin walking away he leaned in closely and lowered his voice. "And I'll inform Doctor Cottle that your chief surgeon will be calling."  
  
Robert answered with a nod. "Of course," he murmured back. "An honor to meet you sir." Robert offered his hand.  
  
Adama took it and accepted the handshake. He nodded to the other _Aurora_ officers in turn before leaving to rejoin his stricken President.  
  
"Their leader is dying of cancer, they suspect us because the Cylons worship only one god, and they're the last survivors of a society apocalypse." Barnes shook his head. "Yeah, this mission's going to be a doozy."  
  
"Get with Scotty as soon as you get back, Tom," Robert said. "We need to get them on their feet before those Cylons get back with reinforcements."  
  
  
  
  
Adama returned to the President's office to find her laying on the chairs.  Billy dutifully brought a glass of water over to her. "I thought..." She took the drink Billy offered and returned the glass to him. Her eyes were hazed with fatigue and pain when she looked at Adama. "I thought we had done it, Bill. That we'd found the Thirteenth Tribe and Earth. And now they tell us Earth - _our_ Earth - is a wasteland too. And... and they don't even know about the Lords of Kobol, or worship them!"  
  
Adama found a seat. "It's not what we expected. But we shouldn't let this get in the way of a good relationship with this Alliance. Like it or not, ma'am, we need them."  
  
"Do you think they'll let us settle on Earth?"  
  
"I'm not sure Earth's in any state to be settled in right now," Adama pointed out. "But they'll be able to find us a planet. And once we've had a few generations... maybe then Earth can be settled."  
  
"Very true." Roslin took in an agonizing breath. "I would have liked to have seen it. Earth."  
  
"You may get your chance. Their doctor is going to speak to Cottle. If they're right about the technology they have to offer, maybe he can do something about your condition."  
  
Roslin smiled thinly at that. "A nice hope. I suppose it's better than nothing. See what Cottle says. And make sure to keep Doctor Baltar informed."  
  
Adama nodded stiffly. "I will. Get some rest, Madame President." He stood and left.  
  
  
  
  
In the main conference room of the _Aurora_ , the command crews were meeting again. Robert and Julia went over the conversation they'd had with Adama and Roslin and what was planned. "Scotty, you still need time for the warp engines, right?"  
  
"Aye, a bit of an overhaul. We'll be ready tae go in a few days."  
  
"The warp drives need that much work?", Zack asked.  
  
"It's always hard on 'em th' first time ye put 'em through their paces like we did. It's nae somethin' big, just some part replacements."  
  
"And if we have an emergency?", Julia asked.  
  
"A few minutes' warnin' an' I can give ye Warp 4."  
  
"Better than nothing for the moment," Robert noted. "Cat, how are the long range scans going?"  
  
"I've had to change parameters to track these jump drives. We should know if anyone jumps to within a hundred light years of our position. Two hundred light years' distance is possible, but only with delays from the way the subspace bursts of their drives ripples outward."  
  
"And the long range probes?"  
  
"Still sending us telemetry, but nothing else." Caterina indicated the map and the courses of the probes. "Although within a few days the lead probes will actually be passing through the Helios star cluster on the _Galactica_ 's starmaps. It's their home systems."  
  
"Make sure the probes are listening for any sign of survivors." Robert had seen enough dreams of mass devastation lately, to know that it _had_ happened in this universe, and so recently, was daunting. _If we'd known about them, we could have stopped it_ , was the thought in his head. It came unbidden and he pushed it away; he couldn't save everyone after all.  
  
"I think we need to focus now on the assistance we can give." Julia noticed his reverie and stepped in to continue the meeting. "We've sent off our reports to Admiral Maran. Until we hear from him, we're the only ones present who can help. So how will we do that?"  
  
"We only have so much replicator stock, but we could replicate some non-perishable food items for their food stocks." Jarod put his hands together on the table. "And plenty of water."  
  
Leo nodded. "Medicines. I stocked up before we left dock, we have plenty to help with a variety of illnesses. And I can get the staff ready to cooperate with their physicians on learning our equipment."  
  
"Speaking of equipment..." Robert looked to Barnes. "Tom?"  
  
"We don't have the Darglan Facility's super-awesome replicators anymore, so no mass-producing the best stuff," Barnes pointed out. "But we can make some things between the replicators and the machine shops. Particle rifles, phasers, hell, I could probably make their firearms and tools if they need it. Shield generators for their ships will be trickier."  
  
"We still have parts to rebuild our own completely several times over," Julia pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, our _own_. But they have a different power source, different electrical wiring, different everything. I'm going to need to see how their systems work to finalize any shield generator construction. Which we've started, by the way."  
  
"Good. We'll arrange transport for you." Robert looked to Julia. "Given how badly they took our last beaming, we should probably tone down on that. We'll assign shuttles to take people back and forth."  
  
"If we're upgrading them, maybe we should give them some better sensors too," Caterina suggested. "If their jump range is within forty light years, they would be able to detect Cylon jump signatures and avoid traps."  
  
"We'll need to look over their electronics systems, then," Jarod pointed out.  
  
"That's something you and Cat can do," Robert answered. "Tom can join you in fitting shields on the _Galactica_. Scotty, does Lucy has enough engineering experience to do the same on _Pegasus_?"  
  
"Aye, she's capable of it," Scotty confirmed.  
  
"So Cat and Lucy will go to the _Pegasus_ and Jarod, Tom, and Leo to the _Galactica_?" Julia shook her head. "Aren't we putting too many senior officers on the job?"  
  
"Just for the initial survey and work," Robert said. "Plus I think it will build confidence, they'll realize we're putting real effort into this. With all the differences we have, I want them to see us as friends."  
  
"And try not to use the Lord's name in vain," Julia added drolly. "They get tetchy around monotheism."  
  
That got them curious looks.  
  
"The Cylons aren't just evil genocidal robots, they're _religious_ evil genocidal robots," Barnes explained with a smirk.  
  
"And apparently they are monotheists," Julia continued.  
  
"While these people are polytheists," Angel added.  
  
"Hrm. To each their own," Leo remarked.  
  
"Exactly. Alright." Robert stood. "I've got a shuttle pilot waiting to fly us to _Galactica_. Get whatever tools you'll need and let's go."  
  
  
  
  
Doctor Gaius Baltar had taken the news of the contact with the mythic "Thirteenth Tribe" as everyone else had, but he had internalized it and began working through the information he was being given. This was made easier when Adama appeared in his lab and gave him the basic details before leading him off to greet the incoming shuttle. His head swam with the implications.  
  
 _Alien life forms. Multiple universes, and Earth as an irradiated wasteland. It's all so much_ , he thought.  
  
"Don't forget that they worship God too."  
  
Baltar turned slightly. The blonde-haired Cylon that was somehow in his head looked back at him and smiled. "See, Gaius? God is everywhere."  
  
"I wonder about how their religion works," he said in response. He almost added a "Where have you been?" but held back; too many witnesses.  
  
He had said so out loud, so Adama took it as an invitation to talk. "I'm not sure. What I don't need is people getting scared by it."  
  
"Does the Admiral really think they're just an elaborate Cylon trap?", his head-Cylon cooed.  
  
"You don't think they're really Cylons, do you?", Baltar asked aloud.  
  
"I doubt it," Adama said. "If they are, then...."  
  
"....then you are all doomed," Head Six finished for Adama, at least in Baltar's head.  
  
Tigh was waiting with Adama in the landing area. Baltar watched the shuttle come in. _I wonder what those twin engines along the rear of the bottom do? Some form of jump engine?_  
  
"So, what are we expecting?", Tigh asked Adama.  
  
"They're young, quick, and eager," Adama answered.  
  
"And they command a ship like that?" Tigh shook his head. "A bit fishy if you ask me. And you want to let them rummage through our engines and scanners?"  
  
"They're very special, Gaius." The sultry voice made him turn his head slightly. He found his head Cylon very distracting in that red dress. "Be very careful."  
  
"It's a risk. But I'm willing to take it. They didn't fake the nukes they shrugged off."  
  
The shuttle door opened and Robert stepped out. Leo and Jarod followed him with Meridina; Cat, Barnes, and Lucy came behind. Zack took up the rear. They all stiffened their spines. "Admiral Adama, permission to board?"  
  
"Permission granted, Captain," Adama responded.  
  
"They don't salute either?", Tigh murmured to him.  
  
"Gersallians and Alakin have differing interpretations of Human salutes," Meridina suddenly said, showing she had heard Tigh. "And the Alakin salute is similar to what Humans call the 'Heil Hitler' salute and was considered unpalatable."  
  
Tigh shot a glare at Meridina. She bowed her head. "I apologize, sir, if I was rude. I wished to assuage your concerns about our crew and show we mean no disrespect."  
  
"None taken," Adama answered, ending the issue in his mind.  
  
Baltar looked over the group. Young, indeed. And the women... Meridina was the least directly alluring, being a fairly-average looking brunette, while the one introduced as Lieutenant Delgado was small and didn't fill her suit in to Baltar's taste. The third... she was gorgeous.  
  
"Gaius, be careful with her," he heard his head Cylon insist as he moved his head to look at her. "She sees beyond what normal people can. She is a hunter and pure danger."  
  
Despite himself, Baltar was curious about that. "Oh really?," he muttered.  
  
"This is no game, Gaius. She can reveal me, and your secrets, to the rest of the Colonies. Imagine what they would do to you?"  
  
Baltar frowned. He could imagine.  
  
"And the same goes for that tan girl you are looking over."  
  
That caused a sigh.  
  
"....my CAG and my son, Captain Lee Adama." Adama was finished introducing Lee and Tigh.  
  
"Your help is appreciated, Captain," Lee said to Robert, extending a hand. After Robert took it Lee offered the same to Zack. "And yours too, Commander. Your ship kept my people from taking any losses."  
  
"Glad to help, Captain," Zack answered. "I'm a pilot myself, wouldn't mind getting to fly one of these things some time."  
  
"We've got simulators on the _Pegasus_ if you want to try," Lee answered. "I noticed your ship has some fighters of its own?"  
  
"Yeah, Mongoose strike fighters. They handle pretty well."  
  
"I'm sure there are plenty of things we can share," Robert said. "My crew and I are of one mind on this. Your people need our help, and we're glad to give it. We've already got our replicators making spare food and water for your quartermasters."  
  
"That sounds like more technology we will have to learn about." Adama gestured toward Baltar. "And before I forget, our illustrious Vice President and resident Cylon expert, Doctor Gaius Baltar."  
  
"Doctor." Robert offered his hand to Baltar. Baltar looked at it for a moment before accepting it. "I would like to learn more about these Cylons," he said. "For my report to my superiors."  
  
"Tell him," Six's voice whispered. "Tell him about the prisoner."  
  
Baltar's eyes turned to Meridina briefly. Her expression seemed to shift a little. He swallowed hard and focused himself on Robert. "Ah, yes, of course. I'll be happy to share my information, including all data I have on detecting Cylons who appear Human."  
  
"Given the ones it missed, don't bank on it too much," Tigh groused.  
  
"They appear Human?", Meridina asked. "How?"  
  
"They are, essentially, cybernetically enhanced bodies," Baltar explained. "Organic with machinery components inside."  
  
Meridina shook her head. "And your science makes it hard to detect them?"  
  
"Yes, as we've found out the hard way," Adama answered.  
  
Robert looked back to Caterina and Leo. "Do you think our sensors can do something about that?"  
  
"Well, our ship-mounted sensors only read Human life signs on the Cylon starships," Caterina answered. "It's possible that we could create a direct scanner that would look for cybernetics or whatever else goes into a Cylon. We would need to have one first."  
  
"Tell them Gaius," Six repeated, her voice dropping to a hiss in Baltar's ear. " _Tell them about her._ "  
  
Baltar felt a lump in his throat when Meridina's eyes shifted around. "Um... yes, I think we might be able to help with that." Baltar ignored the look he got from Adama. "We do have one Cylon prisoner on the ship."  
  
"Really?" Robert turned to Adama. "Admiral Adama, do you think Commander Meridina could be allowed to interview this prisoner?"  
  
Adama nodded. "I can arrange it."  
  
"I am most grateful, Admiral," Meridina answered. As she did so, she looked around again. Her _swevyra_ was feeling... active. There was something here that she could not see....  
  
Baltar swallowed and nodded. "If it's okay, Admiral, I have some work I need to finish up on. I wouldn't be much of a guide for these gentlemen and ladies."  
  
Adama nodded, clearly agreeing completely. "I'll see you later, Doctor Baltar."  
  
Baltar left, making sure not to seem too eager to get away.  
  
  
  
  
The tour of the CIC led to everyone splitting up, Adama assigning other personnel to specific groups while taking Robert to his office. "I hope your people understand the issue of how many gods there might be," Adama said while reaching for a pitcher of coffee. "Besides the Cylons, we've had monotheists before, but they were known for fanaticism and terrorism."  
  
"The crew is aware of trying to keep their references low." Robert allowed himself a small grin of amusement. "Technically any Christian is supposed to not call out 'God" for anything anyway. Old Commandmant about the Lord's name being taken in vain."  
  
"Are you a religious man, Captain?" Adama offered him a cup of what looked like tea or coffee.  
  
Robert took a drink. "Not as much as I could be, I suppose. If it came down to it... I would say I believe, but that I'm not a church-going type anymore."  
  
"I see." Adama took a quick drink. "Our people can be the same way. Some believe in the Lords of Kobol to their very souls. Some just do it because its habit. And I suspect there are some like our illustrious Doctor Baltar who don't believe anything."  
  
"I get the feeling you don't like Baltar."  
  
"Don't care for the man," Adama admitted. "There are worse, I suppose."  
  
"I would say so." Robert briefly thought about his own recent problems with government.  
  
"Given your age, Captain, I know there's more to your position and background than you've told me so far."  
  
"You could say that, Admiral," Robert admitted. "There are reports I can provide you if you want more details. To put it simply... the Alliance exists because of us. As in my friends and I on the _Aurora_."  
  
"Hmm. I suppose it will be interesting reading, then."  
  
Both men took drinks. "It was more interesting living it. Everything I ever thought about the world got turned upside down." Robert chuckled. "Maybe that's why they send me out for these things. I know what it's like."  
  
"People are going to be shaken up by it when we give official announcements. Everyone is convinced you are the Thirteenth Tribe." Adama sipped again. "But we won't forget your help. Our people will warm up to you."  
  
"That's all I can hope for." Robert took his last drink. "Admiral, may I ask a delicate question?"  
  
"Certainly."  
  
"I get the feeling, sir, that you didn't want us to know about your Cylon prisoner."  
  
Adama remained silent for a moment. He nodded slightly. "I admit I was concerned about it, yes. Cylons have a way of getting into your head."  
  
"You were actually worried it would convince us to turn on you?" Robert thought about that. "I suppose I can see the point."  
  
"I'm glad you see things my way, then."  
  
"Well, Admiral, I can tell you one thing," Robert said, looking directly at the older man. "I don't care whether they come to me reciting the Lord's Prayer. They're guilty of genocide and that's what matters to me. So I'm not going to let this Cylon get between us."  
  
"Thank you, Captain."  
  
  
  
  
"Hrm. I'd almost think it was low grade naqia," Barnes said while looking over stored tylium. "But you actually make it liquid form during refinement?"  
  
"It's for the best performance," Chief Galen Tyrol explained.  
  
"Maybe it's a related metal?" Caterina walked up behind them. "There are a few spaces left on the periodic table. It'd explain why my sensors thought your power generation was low level naqia."  
  
"I suppose." Tyrol looked at Barnes. "What is this naqia stuff anyway?"  
  
"A solid state metal used in power generation reactors." Barnes followed Tyrol through to another engineering space. "Where's your Chief Engineer? I need to go over things with him, if we're fitting shield generators on your ship I need volume."  
  
"This way, sir."  
  
  
  
  
Leo stepped into the _Galactica_ infirmary and was met by a much older man. "Doctor Cottle?", he asked.  
  
"Doctor Gillam, is it?" The old man offered a hand that was slightly less wrinkled than his face. Gray and white hair covered his head. "Thank you for coming. Admiral Adama was telling me you might be able to assist with the President's condition."  
  
"I heard. Breast cancer." Leo shook his head. "Advanced?"  
  
"Very. She's got weeks left."  
  
Options went through Leo's head. "That rules out several options. Surgery?"  
  
"Too big, and she's too weak."  
  
"I imagine. Do you have any X-Rays....?"  
  
  
  
  
Jarod stood in the _Galactica_ CIC and looked up at the DRADIS screens. "Flat screen monitors, wouldn't be hard to replace those with a holographic interface," he muttered to himself.  
  
"Excuse me, sir?"  
  
Jarod looked over and faced a young man with a Mediterranean complexion. "Lieutenant Gaeta, right?" Jarod offered his hand. "Commander Jarod."  
  
"Sir." Gaeta finished saluting and took the hand. "Colonel Tigh says you're here to upgrade our electronics?"  
  
"A few upgrades, we're not sure what your power systems can handle," Jarod admitted. "And fabricating naqia reactors for you will take more time and a full supply of naqia."  
  
"Of course." Gaeta nodded. "Sir, can I ask... how did your ships appear like that? There was no sign of a jump, just.... a surge of radiation and you were there."  
  
"We use warp drive for FTL. It doesn't move you to a location immediately like your drives, but it can be constantly used." Jarod looked over one of the panels. "If we get enough power we can turn your displays into multi-function touch pad or hard light displays."  
  
"Hard light?"  
  
"A form of holographic interface, they use them in M4P2. The Darglan favored touchscreen displays with adaptive capability, and Carlton Farmer further modified them with Starfleet-standard systems."  
  
"Wow, I..."  
  
Jarod smiled at the younger man, clearly bursting with questions. "It's a lot, I know. What can you tell me about your DRADIS systems?"  
  
Gaeta nodded. "Yes, um, a lot, sir. Here, let me show you."  
  
  
  
  
Meridina had stayed with Lucy and Zack for the tour, with Lee Adama showing them around the ship. Lee and Zack were talking piloting tricks with Lee discussing Cylon tactics in the process. "There is something here," Meridina murmured to Lucy.  
  
"A lot of grief," Lucy said. "I can feel so much of it around them."  
  
"No, something... else. But I'm not sure." Meridina turned to Lucy. "While things are going well, keep your _swevyra_ open. Something may yet go wrong."  
  
"Do you think..."  
  
"I see no discernible danger at the moment, but I feel an uneasiness in the near-future. Be cautious when you join Caterina on the _Pegasus_."  
  
"I will," Lucy promised.  
  
Around the next corner they were met by Colonel Tigh. "Alright, Commander, we're ready for you. This way to the special brig."  
  
"Of course, Colonel." Meridina nodded to the others and walked away with Tigh. He led her back through some of the corridors they had already used. Meridina found them stark. Gray was a neutral color to her people as well as Humans and it made the ship feel utilitarian. She would have preferred the light blues and yellow paneling of the _Aurora_ 's many corridors.  
  
"I'm warning you now, Commander." Tigh looked back. "These Cylons can get into your head. Gods know how much I wished we'd spaced this one, but the Old Man thinks its still of use."  
  
"Does it actually have the ability to enter minds?", Meridina asked.  
  
"No, thank the gods," Tigh muttered.  
  
"Then I think I shall be fine." Meridina turned her head as they rounded another corner. "Is it cooperating?"  
  
"For the most part. Actually claims to want to help us, and it did save us once from a Cylon virus. Saved its own skin, at least."  
  
"Curious." Meridina decided to withhold further judgement until she saw the Cylon.  
  
They came up to the cell. "Brought you a new visitor today," Tigh called out, opening the door and admitting Meridina. "Play nice. Hit the call button when you're ready to be let out, Commander."  
  
"Of course, Colonel." Meridina looked over at him as he closed the door and locked her in with the prisoner.  
  
Meridina looked the Cylon over. A woman, long dark hair, facial features and skin color were from the East Asian region of the Human homeworld or the Chushallan people of her own world's northwestern continent.  
  
The woman's stomach bulged. Meridina's jaw lowered in surprise even as her senses confirmed what her eyes saw. She could feel the small life force within; an unborn child.   
  
Her eyes met the dark eyes of the Cylon and she could see emotions. Anxiety, concern, fear. Meridina swallowed.  
  
This was no machine. This was a person. She had a mind. She had a heart. She had _swevyra_ of her own.  
  
And she was kept in a cage like a wild animal.  
  
"Have fun." Tigh walked off, leaving them alone.  
  
"Who are you?", the woman asked.  
  
"I am Meridina. A Lieutenant Commander of the United Alliance of Systems' Stellar Navy. And I am a _swevyra'se_ of Gersal." Meridina looked back and checked the door. Metal and glass covering. A difficult obstacle indeed.  
  
Thoughts came to her mind that Meridina pushed away. She would perform the duty that Captain Dale requested of her first. Information about the Cylons.  
  
And then she would perform her duty as a _swevyra'se_ , to the Code she believed in, and give aid to this caged soul.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aurora and Koenig crews successfully contact the Battlestar Galactica and the last survivors of the Colonies of Kobol.

Everyone not remaining on the _Galactica_ met at the shuttle. "Captain Thrace will be waiting to show you around the _Pegasus_ ," Lee said to them.

"It's newer than the _Galactica_ , right?", Caterina asked.

"Yeah. Only other Battlestar to survive the attack," Lee replied. "Any upgrades you put on our ship will work even better with her, I imagine."

"We'll get to work on it," Lucy promised.

"Thank you for the tour, Captain." Zack extended a hand. "If we stick around much longer, we're going to have to swap fighters for a test flight."

Lee smiled at that. "Sure thing, Commander." He turned and walked away as they all boarded the shuttle _Moore_.

Zack settled into the pilot seat while Robert sat in the back with the others. After they received takeoff clearance Zack eased the shuttle out of the _Galactica_ 's landing pod. Everyone looked out the side windows. _Aurora_ was nearby of course, as was _Koenig_ , but they were more interested in the other ships milling around. "Transporters, liners, refinery ships... this is all that's left of an entire culture," Caterina said quietly. "Why?"

"Hopefully Meridina can get us some answers," Lucy said. "Although I'm not sure any answer will satisfy me."

"None will satisfy me," Robert murmured. "Whomever these Cylons are, we need to hunt them down. Especially if they're near that Darglan cache the Facility showed Meridina."

"Oh yikes. We thought Nazis with Darglan tech would be bad, if the Cylons get it..." Caterina seemed to shiver. "I mean, if they want to wipe out Humanity..."

"My thought exactly." Robert looked to the front window. _Pegasus_ was looming ahead. The ship was close enough in appearance, but it had a more refined look to it; clearly a newer ship. They set down in the port landing pod and Zack killed the engines. "Zack and I are due back on the _Aurora_ soon, so I'll leave you two to your work after we introduce ourselves. Check in every hour and keep us up to date so we can send over the new gear when it's ready."

"Yes sir," Lucy answered.

By that point the door had opened. Robert and Zack stepped out with the ladies behind. Waiting for them was an older, heavyset man with light green eyes and a blonde woman with short cut hair. "Captain Dale?" The older man extended his hand. "I'm Commander Fisk of the _Pegasus_. This is our CAG, Captain Kara Thrace."

"Nice to see another pilot," Zack said to her.

"Yeah. You're one too, I see." Thrace grinned slightly.

Zack almost subconsciously put his hand over the "starwings" insignia on the left shoulder of his uniform. Only Lucy had the same insignia. "Yeah."

"Commander Fisk, this is Commander Zack Carrey of the _Koenig_. He's just flying back with me. Lieutenant Caterina Delgado will look into upgrading your ship's electronic detection systems and Lieutenant Lucilla Lucero here will examine your systems and see how to install shield generators."

"I'll take her to see Garner, our Chief Engineer. Lieutenant?"

Lucy nodded and stepped to follow. All things considered, she didn't like Fisk one bet. He felt... oily.

"Remember Cat, hourly check-ins," Robert reminded her. "Be patient with her, Captain." He looked back to Thrace. "She lets her curiosity get the best of her."

"I'm not the most patient type," Thrace warned. "But she'll be fine."

Robert nodded and led Zack back into the shuttle. When he turned back and saw Zack still staring, he raised an eyebrow. "Zack...?"

"Hrm? Oh. Sorry." Zack smirked. "Just admiring the local scenery."

Robert sighed and grinned. "Don't you always?"

 

 

 

The Cylon in the cell had remained silent for some time. Meridina didn't push the matter; there was no time limit and she felt she could get more by giving the being in the cage time to finish whatever thoughts were in her head.

"You're really a Gersallian," the Cylon stated.

Meridina nodded. "I see they mentioned us to you already?"

"No."

"Then..." Meridina blinked. "...you know about us already. How?"

"We've been exploring our portion of the galaxy for some time," the Cylon answered. "We were excited to find other life forms. And surprised to see your people resembled Humanity so much."

"Ah, yes. And this made you fearful of interacting with us?"

"Among other things. It was not in the Plan." The woman turned away. "My name is Sharon, by the way."

"Sharon. Yes." Meridina nodded slightly. "You speak of a Plan. Did it involve what was done to the Colonies?"

"Yes. We were all told that," Sharon said. She lowered her head and shook it. "I can't make any excuses for it. Something possessed us. Fear, envy, hatred, something that made it seem okay to annihilate Humanity."

"Charismatic leaders can cause any life form to turn away from that which is right." Meridina put her hands together in front of her. "If your race knows of mine, then you know what I am."

"A... knight," Sharon answered. "A defender of peace and justice and the innocent."

"We strive to be, yes."

"I wish i could see the world like that now. Everything was so clear before..."

"Before?" Meridina's question was gentle in its probing of Sharon's thoughts.

"Before I..." Sharon smiled gently. "Helo. Lieutenant Karl Agathon. I was ordered to befriend him and seduce him. He... had seen another copy of me that he knew as Boomer."

"Why were you given such orders?"

"Because..." She put a hand on her belly, not able to say any more.

Meridina nodded. She sensed Sharon's feelings. And she felt her mind. _She may have machine parts, but she is still a living being._ "Your people wish to reproduce. And you were sent to make it work with a Human."

"Yes. And then I fell in love and brought him back to the Fleet." Sharon shook her head. "You can guess how I was welcomed. Especially since my counterpart Boomer tried to kill Admiral Adama."

Meridina didn't ask. She could feel the images coming from Sharon. Hands around her neck. The terror of asphyxiation after being thrown into vacuum. A gun in her face. A man striking her and... "I am sorry if you have been mistreated," Meridina said softly, forcing that last image of what Sharon had almost suffered from her mind.

"I'm sorry that your people will be drawn into this now," Sharon replied. "Out here, between the Cylons and the Colonies, there's so much blood it will drown us all."

"We can fix that," Meridina assured her. "The Alliance can protect this fleet."

"You'll try. And the Cylons will react." Sharon shook her head. "And I don't know how they'll respond, but it'll be terrible. They know so much about you already."

"Their knowledge should give them pause, then." Meridina stepped forward. "Help me understand them, and we could find a way to peace. And you'll be free to be with Helo again."

Hope flared in her eyes for a moment. "We don't get told everything," Sharon said. "To understand us, you have to understand that even if we are machines, we believe in God. Just one, not the Lords of Kobol like the Humanity of the Colonies do...."

 

 

 

Caterina thought the _Pegasus_ looked better on the inside than _Galactica_ while going from the CIC to the access of one of the sensor systems. Captain Thrace - "Starbuck" as the pilots called her - led the way as before. "You command the fighters, so why are you giving me the tour?", Caterina asked.

Thrace clearly bit back an answer. "The Admiral asked me to look out for you," was the answer she gave. " _Pegasus_ was on its own for a while and the crew is still getting... used to being under new command."

"Oh? Well, I mean, I hope they know we're here to help?" Caterina frowned. "We just want to help, you know?"

"People don't always like getting help," Thrace pointed out.

Caterina stopped and looked to Thrace. "This isn't about the religion thing, right?"

Thrace smirked. "It could be," she conceded. "I don't mind much so long as you people help us blow up frakking toasters."

Caterina gave her a confused look. "...what does 'frak' me...." Realization dawned on her face and Caterina blushed fiercely.

That drew a laugh from Starbuck. "Well, aren't you the sweetest thing? Haven't been around crew much, have you?"

"Well... I mostly interact with the science division," Caterina answered.

Thrace blinked. "Wait, _science_?"

"Yes. I'm the _Aurora_ 's Science Officer. Sensors too, but that's just part of the job."

Now Thrace began laughing. "Wow, I..." Her face contorted in a mixture of amazement and bewilderment, her eyes growing wide. "Honestly I can't imagine our ships having something like that. This is the Navy, that's outside our usual work. Your people... _actually_ do that?"

"Well... not every ship. The ships that are just there for fighting don't have science departments. But we're a kind of special missions ship and it can come in handy. And I love seeing new space phenomena and planets and stuff."

Thrace said nothing at first. It had been a while since she saw someone so plainly enthusiastic and energetic about, of all things, space exploration. It was another thing the Cylons had taken from them, it seemed. At least the Old Man was getting along with these people. Maybe in time they would have that kind of enthusiasm again.

They came to the access hatch to the sensor hardware. "Well, this is it. I can find a member of the crew to show you more if you need it."

"Thanks." Caterina took the hatch and started to open it. Her face twisted into a grimace as she struggled to twist the wheel. Thrace grabbed the wheel and helped her twist it fully open. "Sorry, I'm... we don't have things like this back on the _Aurora_ ," Caterina apologized.

"Don't mention it." Thrace turned and went to walk away. As she did, a thought crossed her mind. Curiosity that demanded some kind of resolution. "Hey, Lieutenant."

Caterina looked out from within the hatch. "Yes?"

"You said you didn't know who the Lords of Kobol were, but why did you name your ship for one?"

Caterina blinked at her and stepped out of the hatch. "What?"

"You named your ship after Aurora, the Goddess of the Dawn, a Lord of Kobol."

Caterina's jaw dropped. "Wait, you.... who..." An enthusiastic expression replaced the startlement. "Your other Lords, they have names like Zeus and Hera and Apollo, right?"

"Yeah, all of them are Lords of Kobol."

To Thrace's surprise, Caterina let out an enthusiastic little noise, one that her sister and friends knew as the "Caterina squee of excitement". "The Olympian gods! The Greco-Roman pantheon! You worship the Greco-Roman pantheon!"

Now it was Thrace's turn to stare in confusion as Caterina hopped off the deck plates a couple of times. "Who are the Greco-Romans?"

"Oh, they were two different civilizations in Earth's classical period, in the millennium before the Christian Era," Caterina explained. "The Greeks were the founders of Western civilization and they... I mean, they worshiped Zeus and Hera and Athena and Poseidon and stuff, and they colonized the neighboring peninsula of Italy and their pantheon and religious beliefs spread to the locals, including the early Romans, who gave them different names like Jupiter and Juno and Minerva." Caterina blinked. "Wait, you said the name _Aurora_ was in your pantheon, but you use Greek names and Aurora was the Roman name and... oh this is so cool!"

"Okay, now I'm getting a little confused. How could your people know about the Lords' names but not their connection to Kobol?"

"I don't know, and that's what's so _exciting_. I mean, it's going to take years of study and excavations and..." Caterina brought up her forearm to access her multidevice. "I've got to get some notes for a paper on this!"

Thrace couldn't help but smile; the enthusiasm was infectious. But she shook her head. "You might want to see about doing the scanners first?"

Caterina looked up from where she'd been typing on her multidevice. "Oh, right... yeah." She blushed. "Sorry, I just get kind of... carried away."

"Oh, it's fine. About time someone around here was that giddy."

 

 

 

_Ship's Log: 4 June 2641; ASV Aurora. Captain Robert Dale recording. I'm pleased to report that we have had few problems interacting with the Colonial Fleet so far. Food and medicine from our stores is being distributed into the Fleet and brought morale up. Our efforts to look into ways to upgrade the fleet's defenses have gone well and there has been no sign of Cylon activity._

_If things keep up, I have considered approving shore leave requests to the Colonial ships._

The morning staff meeting was fully staffed for the first time in days. "I've found the cure for our problem with the power situation," Barnes said to everyone. "We have enough emergency reserves of naqia to cobble together a few small reactors, enough to give each Battlestar a respectable deflector capability. Not as good as our own or of a ship of similar size, but enough to deal with Cylon nukes. Unless the frakking toasters find out how to make shield penetrators." When everyone stared at him Barnes smirked. "Yeah, I picked up some Goddamned vocabulary. I like it. Frak. Frak frak frak...."

His sing-song recitation of the Colonial cursing was halted by Julia clearing her throat loudly. "Tom, I _will_ go get a bar of soap."

"Yes, _Mom_ ," he retorted.

"When can we expect to have those ready?"

"Later today," Barnes answered. "I've got the overnight crew finishing up the main work, I just need to take them over and install them. I'll get Lucy a set for the _Pegasus_."

"Good. Now about their sensors..."

Caterina and Jarod looked at each other. Jarod shook his head. "That's not so easy. The ships would need major yardwork to fit anything useful."

"I think _Pegasus_ could have a subspace sensor suite set into its electronics array," Caterina added. "Not the full set we'd prefer, but it would be something. It would at least give them warning of Cylon ships jumping to a vicinity of ten light years."

"Communications?", Julia asked.

"A little easier. A basic subspace transceiver array could be fit on pretty much every ship in the fleet," Jarod replied. "I'd have to examine the other ships to see if any could be refitted with better sensors."

"Actually..." Robert pointed a finger up. "What about their Raptors? They use them for reconnaissance, they're jump-capable, and they already have a large-scale electronics system. Could subspace sensors be fitted onto those?"

Jarod and Cat looked at each other. "Limited ones, sure," Jarod replied. "They might not get the full forty light year range we want, though. Honestly I think the only way to guarantee them that kind of radius would be to... well..."

"Assign one of our ships to them," Cat finished for him.

"Yes."

Robert nodded. "I'll let Admiral Maran know. He's due to be on subspace when I meet with Adama and Roslin again. Before we finish, how is the distribution of the food and medicine going?"

"It's proceeding." Jarod tapped a button to bring up the list. "They're letting us beam supplies straight to specific points."

"Wow, that's quite a bit of trust," Angel remarked.

"It is. Which is why we're going to live up to that." Robert looked up from where he was checking a tablet. "By the way, Julie, Angel, how did Doctor Baltar's tour go yesterday?"

"Short and not very educational," Julia answered him.

Angel smirked. "Baltar was more interested in us than the ship."

"Oh?" Robert smirked. "Should I be getting jealous?"

"Well, he does have that accent that Julie likes so much," Angel teased, earning her an annoyed glare from Julia. That made her smirk grow.

"Well, if that tour didn't work, maybe having Adama or Tigh visit would work better." Robert looked to Scotty. "Mister Scott, how is...."

He was interrupted by the tone of the ship's intercom. " _Captain Dale, we've received a signal from the_ Galactica. _President Roslin.... she's dying._ "

Robert looked to Leo, who nodded. "Tell them Doctor Gillam will beam straight to their medical center." As Leo stood up, Robert did as well. "I'll be right behind you, Leo."

Leo hit the comm button on his multidevice. "Gillam to medbay. Prep the ICU for an advanced cancer...." His voice faded as the door closed behind him.

Robert stood as well. "I should probably get over there too. If Roslin... well, it's best if we're being as understanding as we can. Everyone else, finish what you have to and get back to it. I'd like to tell Adama we're ready to test the new equipment."

Everyone got up and went their separate ways. All save Meridina. Robert waited for her to move and, when she hadn't yet by the time the room was empty, he asked, "How goes your debriefing of the Cylon?"

"She has proven useful. My reports lay out what I've learned."

"'She'?"

Meridina eyed him directly. "She is a living being, Captain. She has the light of Life, _swevyra_ , inside of her. She is carrying a child."

Robert blinked. "Okay, I hadn't read that part of the report yet."

"You mean you focused on the raw data and not the rest of my report?", Meridina asked pointedly.

"Well..." Robert sighed. "Meridina, are you sure this isn't some kind of... of sympathy game?"

Meridina shot a glare at him. "I am sure," she insisted. "I would have thought better of you, Captain. I remember how close you were to the Control system of the Facility."

"Control didn't contribute to the murder of billions of people," Robert replied pointedly.

"Collective guilt is not sufficient reason to deny an individual redemption. She has taken up arms against those who committed those crimes. She has repeatedly aided the Humans of the Colonies against her people. How much must this woman do before she is properly treated?"

"She's being mistreated?"

"She is kept in a cell as a prisoner," Meridina replied. "She was on several occasions physically assaulted despite her condition. Even you have been denying her the basic right of being seen as a living being."

Robert remained quiet for a moment after that rebuke. He felt nothing but horror and anger at the Cylons for the crimes and atrocities they had committed. If Meridina was right, if this one was completely sincere.... "Did she pull the trigger?", Robert asked.

"Pull the trigger?"

"On the genocides? Did she give any of the orders for the attacks? Carry them out personally?"

"Not to my knowledge. She was part of the Cylon group attempting reproduction."

_Well, that makes it easier I guess._ "Alright. See how much more you can get out of her."

"I wish to appeal to Admiral Adama and President Roslin for her release," Meridina said.

Robert shook his head. "Probably not the best time, Meridina."

"So I should leave her to suffer in a cage?"

He winced at the sharp point of her question. "Better to ask the question when Adama will be receptive, not when he's worrying about Roslin's condition. If you want the Cylon released or treated better, it's best if we build up enough trust with the Colonials that they'll be willing to listen to your arguments."

"A fair point," Meridina conceded. "I shall return to _Galactica_ today. Perhaps I may be able to bring comfort to Roslin as well."

"Right now I'm wondering if that's all we can do for her," Robert murmured.

 

 

 

Leo looked over the readings his own devices were giving him on Roslin's condition. Her body was failing from the cancer destroying it from within. Seeing her with IVs and a breather tube in her nose reminded him of the medicine he had been learning to practice before Robert found the Facility back home and changed Leo's life. "The only option for you now is surgery, Madame President," he informed her.

Roslin looked to Cottle, who nodded. "Doctor Gillam's technology makes it possible," he said. "But you might not survive it."

When she spoke, her voice was low from weakness. "What are my odds, Doctor?"

Leo and Cottle exchanged looks. "We've been discussing that," Cottle answered. "Doctor Gillam has the optimism of youth, so if we meet halfway... fifty-fifty."

Roslin drew in a breath and nodded. "How long would it take for me to recover?"

"With the right regimen of medicine, a week before you're out of bed, full recovery in a month," Leo answered. "Safe dosages of medicines to bolster your weakened system will be the important part. Too much and the cell regeneration could become cancerous itself. Too little and it won't be enough to heal you."

"I suppose it's better than being dead," Roslin said weakly. "Doctor Gillam." She turned her head and faced Leo. "Doctor Cottle has something I've asked him to show you. I need your opinion on this."

"I am at your disposal, ma'am," Leo replied.

Cottle led him over to a set of blood samples. Leo brought out his medical scanner from his white doctor's coat and ran the scanner over the samples. "You people have quite a lot of those toys," Cottle murmured.

"They save time," Leo replied. His eyes settled on the results coming back. His eyes narrowed. "This sample is, well, damned odd. I'll need a closer look at the patient to figure it out."

"That won't be necessary, Doctor Gillam," Cottle said. "I just wanted your opinion."

"My opinion is that the sample is Human baseline with peculiar genetic markers." Leo brought up the genetic information again and began looking it over. "Some of these abnormalities look familiar..."

"Oh?"

"I'm not sure where. A mutation possibly. I'll need to run tests."

Cottle nodded. "As I've said, that won't be necessary. Doctor Baltar is already running them."

Leo looked over. "Your Vice President is a biologist?"

Cottle smirked. "He thinks he's everything. I'd rather have your people run the tests myself."

"But Roslin won't allow it." Leo sighed. "She still doesn't trust us?"

"The President can be cautious. At times. Thank you for the consultation, Doctor Gillam. I..."

The far door opened, interrupting them. Baltar and Adama were entering. "This will be a private meeting, Doctor," Cottle said. "You should go."

 

 

 

Barnes stepped into the CIC, his work uniform crumpled from working around. "Is the Admiral here?", he asked Tigh.

"He's busy," Tigh answered. "Why?"

"I think I have it, I've routed the controls through to one of your panels here," Barnes answered. "I just need to run a couple of tests, get your status screen installed, and the shields are ready for testing."

Tigh nodded and looked to Gaeta. "Lieutenant, give him a hand." The tone of voice made the end of that sentence clear; _And keep an eye on him_.

Gaeta nodded and followed Barnes. "How is this going to work?", he asked.

"Oh, simple. Just had to tie the naqia reactors into your power system controls and to the shield generators. Your engineering crew is putting the finishing touches on the new power conduits feeding the shield generators. It's not hard with the tools I brought along. Should be done by the time I'm done up here." Barnes got to his knees in front of one of the consoles and consulted the schematic hologram hovering above his forearm, courtesy of his multidevice. "Okay, here we are, this connection is the one. We're going to relay the controls through here and set up a hard light display for you to use it and read off status. It's going to look out of place, but it's the best I can Goddamned do without ripping your controls apart completely and installing control software in your systems." Barnes seemed to consider what he just said. "And sorry about the Goddamned. I know you worship the Greek gods and such, it's just a slip of my Goddamned tongue. Sometimes I think my first words were 'God damn'".

Gaeta stifled a grin, looking over and seeing some concerned looks from the others. "Oh, that's fine. Apology accepted."

"Good. Now..." Barnes pulled out a screwdriver tool. "...let's crack this frakker open."

 

 

 

Robert met with Adama in the infirmary on _Galactica_ at President Roslin's bedside. She seemed barely awake as he reported the progress. "Lieutenant Lucero has already confirmed that the shield systems will work. _Pegasus_ successfully tested them a few minutes ago."

"That's good news. And our own?"

"Lieutenant Barnes is putting them in place as we speak. You should have your own shields within a couple of hours."

"Thank you, Captain." Roslin's weak voice caused them both to turn. "You're doing wonders for our people."

"It's the least we can do, Madame President." Robert stepped up beside her. "We'll do all we can to help. I'm expecting a call from..."

As if on time, the multi-device on his right forearm let off a low tone. He reached down and pressed the comm button on it. "Dale here."

Julia was on the other end. " _Admiral Maran is on subspace for you._ "

"Tell him I'll be right there." He looked up at the others. "I'll let you know how it goes."

"Thank you, Captain."

Robert nodded and hit another key. "Dale to Transporter Control. One to beam back." A moment later white light coalesced around him and he disappeared.

Roslin looked at Adama. "I don't think I could ever get used to that."

Adama nodded. "Are you going to reconsider going to their ship for treatment?"

Roslin took a pained breath. "I may," she admitted. "Cottle doesn't believe I can survive the operation, no matter how advanced their technology is."

"You're a fighter, I don't think you'd go down quietly," Adama reassured her.

"Especially now." Roslin laid her head back, clearly spent of energy for the time being. "How long until Cottle is ready for the Cylon?"

"He said a few more hours."

"I'd like it done as soon as possible. And try to keep our new friends out of it." Roslin took in a breath. "They're a little too idealistic. A shame we didn't meet them earlier. Things might have been easier."

"They're going to know something's been done," Adama pointed out. "Their security chief has been meeting regularly with the Cylon over the last day."

"Revoke her access," Roslin ordered. "They've learned enough about the Cylons. And make sure to turn on the new shields as soon as they're ready. And I want the prisoner on continuous watch."

Adama put two and two together. "You think our friends would try to take the prisoner?"

"I think that they're idealists." Roslin smiled weakly. "And I would rather not give them the temptation."

 

 

 

Baltar struggled in the grip of the Cylon in his head. As much as she was in his head, the grip of her hands on his tie and the way she was tightening it to choke him.

Abruptly it ended. Baltar looked around and saw a couple people had been staring at him. He coughed and walked on, his agitation growing as he did. He had to do something, he needed...

"Doctor?"

The voice made him turn even as the hairs on his neck bristled. He recognized the security chief from the _Aurora_ , the plain-looking brunette who, while not unattractive, was a little too plain-looking for his taste. "Commander... Meridina, yes?"

She nodded. "I wish to speak with you on the issue of the Cylon prisoner. I'm told you have studied her."

"Ah, yes... yes I have." Baltar swallowed. The Cylon in his head had warned him about Meridina, and seeing her eyes seem to burrow into his mind didn't make him feel any better. "I have studied her. Did you, um, need anything?"

Meridina opened her mouth to speak but remained silent for a moment. "Doctor Baltar, you seem disturbed and frightened. What is wrong?"

_Get out of my head_ was the first thought he had. It seemed the only explanation for how she could be so exact. "Oh, well..." His mind raced as he realized the opportunity he had just been handed. "I'm just... upset is all."

"Over President Roslin?" Meridina nodded. "Yes, I can understand that. I am sorry your leader's illness has harmed her so badly."

"No, it's not that," Baltar insisted. "She's ordered something... something I cannot agree with. Something I cannot in good conscious abide by."

Meridina's head moved slightly. Her expression remained controlled but he could see she was interested. "What is wrong?"

"She's... oh Gods I cannot..." Now Baltar was calling on the acting skills he'd been learning for all this time. "...it must be her illness. I honestly don't want you to think badly of her but..."

Meridina drew closer. "Doctor, given the state of agitation something terrible is being wrought. Let me know and I may be able to prevent it."

Baltar drew in a breath, as if to steel himself. "President Roslin has... she's ordered the termination of the Cylon's pregnancy."

His words caused Meridina's jaw to drop open. "You mean she... she has actually ordered the killing of Sharon's unborn child?"

"Yes. Yes, she has. And she is clearly unhinged by her deteriorating condition, but Admiral Adama will not defy her, and she will not listen to anyone who tells her otherwise."

Horror spread through Meridina, followed by disbelief and anger. Clearly the grief and despair she had felt here had corrupted these people, to make them capable of such an atrocity. There was debate about a mother's right to not be pregnant, but there were alternatives there, and it was at least the mother's right to decide for her own body. To hear that a woman was going to be forced to abort her own pregnancy? That was nothing less than evil.

Too great an evil to ignore.

"Thank you for informing me of this, Doctor," Meridina said. "I will act as is needed. _Mi rake sa swevyra iso_ , Doctor Baltar." She nodded at him and moved on briskly, with a clear sense of purpose.

Baltar watched her go and looked around. Nobody else was present around them... until his friend reappeared. "Do you think..."

Head-Six smiled at him. "I think, Gaius, that you have done something truly brilliant. Our child will be saved."

 

 

 

" _I won't let them take my baby!_ "

Sharon's voice came through the phone speaker loud enough for Meridina to hear as she stepped up toward the cell. An armed Marine stepped into the entrance way, blocking her path. "Sorry, ma'am," he said to her. "Admiral Adama sent orders, you're not permitted access to the Cylon anymore."

_Of course he did._ But Meridina wouldn't let that stop her. She smiled politely and bowed her head. "I understand." She inhaled and exhaled to gather her thoughts and will and brought an open hand up. "You will not bar my path."

The Marine's expression froze. His will struggled, but it was enervated by hours of quiet guard duty. In the hands of her power, that of her telepathic mind and her own powerful _swevyra_ , he could not resist. "I will not bar your path," he intoned.

"You will open the cell door," she added.

"I cannot, I do not have access," he answered without emotion.

Meridina sighed. "You will stand by the wall."

"I will stand by the wall." The Marine walked away from the opening and stood by the wall, facing it, oblivious to all around him. It would not last long, but it would last long enough.

Meridina entered the immediate area by the cell, looking through the cracked glass at the panicking, enraged Sharon. The brown-haired man outside the cell turned and faced her. "Who are you?", he demanded.

"Commander Meridina!" Sharon grabbed the receiver on her end again. "Commander, help me please! They're going to kill my baby!"

Meridina nodded. "I know." She looked to the brown-haired man talking with Sharon. Even without seeing the name on his uniform, she knew who he was given the feelings of fear and worry and pained love coming from him. "You are Helo?"

He nodded.

"Stand clear." Meridina looked back to the door. "Sharon, get away from the door."

In the time it took for her to take in a focusing breath, Sharon did so. Meridina reached out with her power and gripped the door with it. It was a good door; it resisted fiercely. But she would not be denied. She kept her face locked in a calm expression as she reached into everything that was her, everything she believed in, and pushed against the cell door with it.

There was a loud shrieking of metal. Hinges screeched in protest and screws flew free as Meridina wrenched the door off of its hinged by pushing it inside the cell. A grimace of exertion crossed her It slammed against the opposite door. She motioned to Helo to enter with her. He embraced Sharon, oblivious to their situation, which was made starkly clear when the Marine she had sent away stepped back into the opposite doorway with his firearm raised. "Don't move!", he shouted while grabbing for his radio. "I need backup at the Cylon's cell!"

Meridina tapped the comm button on her suit's multi-device and took Sharon and Helo's hands into her own. "Meridina to Transporter Control, emergency beam out now on my signal!"

"I said don't frakkin' move!", the Marine shouted, raising his weapon. When white light covered them he opened fire, but he didn't seem to hit anything as the white light disappeared, taking all three of his targets with it.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aurora and Koenig crews successfully contact the Battlestar Galactica and the last survivors of the Colonies of Kobol.

Robert was in his quarters looking over paperwork while Admiral Maran's image remained on the far panel. The image was a little fuzzy given the booster buoys they had deployed could only boost the subspace signal so much. " _The Dorei are putting together a relief convoy, but it's going to take months to get it out there._ "  
  
"They should be fine for a few months." Robert took a sip from some replicated grape soda. "We can stay with them until the convoy gets here."  
  
" _We can't have the_ Aurora _out there that long, Captain. For the time being continue establishing diplomatic relations with them, but expect a recall order in a week or two._ "  
  
Robert sighed and put two and two together. "The Nazis?"  
  
" _And the Batarians. They made another raid into our M4P2 colonies yesterday. The_ Poryana _and_ Constellation _drove them off before they could cause any damage but the Systems Alliance is warning us they'll keep coming._ "  
  
Robert frowned. "Slaving bastards," he muttered. "No luck with diplomacy?"  
  
" _They're not very friendly to other species, we've found._ "  
  
"Great. Well, I suppose..." There was a tone from his multidevice. He reached over and pressed it. "Dale here."  
  
Julia was on the other end. " _Captain, we have Admiral Adama for you. He says it's urgent._ "  
  
"Put him through." Robert looked at the device and saw it confirm the line connecting. "Admiral, what can I do for you?"  
  
" _What the hell are your people doing, Captain?_ " Adama's voice was its usual baritone, but now tinged with anger.  
  
Robert looked at the startlement on Maran's face and knew it matched his own. "Admiral, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about?"  
  
" _Your security chief just broke into the cell and transported away with our Cylon prisoner_ ," Adama informed him coldly.  
  
Robert felt his jaw lower. "She _what_?"  
  
" _So you're telling me you had nothing to do with that, Captain?_ "  
  
Robert noticed the concerned look on Maran's face. "I did not. I have no idea what Commander Meridina is up to but I'm about to find out."  
  
" _You do that. Because I expect you to turn that Cylon back over right away. Adama out._ "  
  
Robert shook his head. They'd come _so close_ and now it looked like all of the trust they were winning was getting thrown out the airlock. He looked at Maran. "Admiral, I have to deal with this."  
  
Maran nodded. " _I understand, Captain. Keep me appraised._ " He hit a key and disappeared, replaced briefly by the seal of the Alliance's Defense Staff.  
  
Robert went to the door. "Computer, locate Commander Meridina."  
  
" _Commander Meridina is in the Main Medbay._ "  
  
He hit the comm key on his multidevice. "Dale to Kane. Commander, get a squad and report to the Medbay immediately."  
  
" _Yes, Captain._ "  
  
  
  
  
In the _Galactica_ CIC, Adama was leaning against the central table. Tigh stood across from him. "Do you believe him?", Tigh asked.  
  
"I would like to," Adama admitted.  
  
"Could they have been working with the Cylons all this time?" Tigh frowned. "We've been letting them frak around with both Battlestars, if they're with the Cylons..."  
  
"I'm not convinced of that. It's more likely that..." Adama shook his head. "It's more likely that Commander Meridina found out about President Roslin's orders and disapproved."  
  
"Which means someone who was there told her," Tigh said. "Or Helo. They took him too."  
  
Adama nodded. As he thought about it, though, he had another suspect in mind. _Baltar did this._ "What is the status on the new shield systems?"  
  
" _Pegasus_ is ready to turn them on," Tigh replied. "Engineering reported back an hour ago on ours, Lieutenant Barnes has already tested them a few times and is doing final checks."  
  
"Good. They mentioned they can't transport through them. I want more control over who comes and goes from our ships, starting now. Be ready to turn the shields on the moment I give the order."  
  
"Will do. What are you going to do now?"  
  
"I'm going to talk to President Roslin. She needs to be informed."  
  
  
  
  
Robert had worked up a full blown mad-on by the time he got to the Medbay. He found Leo and a brown-haired man in Colonial uniform beside a bed occupied by a young Asian woman; the Cylon, he realized on seeing her face fully. There was a gentle swell in her belly. _A pregnant machine?_  
  
That thought vanished when he looked into her face. He could _feel_ the relief and fear she was dealing with. The danger was gone for the moment, but in her eyes he could see her fear of _him_. An acknowledgement of the fact that with an order he could send her back to the _Galactica._  
  
Meridina was standing nearby. She faced him with only the slightest hint of regret. "Captain. I see you have been informed."  
  
"When my security chief decides to throw all of our hard work in the crapper, I would prefer getting told about it immediately," he said, trying and failing to keep the irritation and anger out of his voice. "We had these people ready to trust us, Meridina. Ready to let us help them. Roslin was getting ready to agree to surgery over here, where we had a chance of saving her life! And you pi... throw it all way for _what?_ "  
  
"They were going to murder Sharon's baby," Meridina replied calmly.  
  
Robert opened his mouth to speak and stopped as the word "murder" hit his brain full force. He felt his face contort into an expression of utter confusion. "What?", he asked. "What are you..."  
  
"President Roslin ordered Sharon's baby to be terminated," the Colonial man said. "They were going to murder our child."  
  
Robert turned to face him, feeling his mouth growing dry. "And you are?"  
  
"Lieutenant Karl Agathon," he answered. "They call me Helo."  
  
Robert drew in a breath and nodded. "Okay. Okay, so..." His mind raced with the implications. "Maybe I could talk to Roslin and get her to rescind the order."  
  
"She will go back on her word if she thinks it necessary," the Cylon - Sharon? - warned. "When Helo and I returned to the Fleet he got into an armed confrontation with Lee Adama. She promised to put me in a cell so Helo would lower his weapon. When he did, she ordered me thrown out of the airlock. If I hadn't known how to lead them to what they were looking for I would have died right there."  
  
Robert bit into his tongue. He'd noticed Roslin had a tough streak to her and admitted the practicality of that situation; defuse an armed standoff by giving a concession she could withdraw at a moment's notice. "Just like that?', he asked.  
  
"Just like that, sir," Helo confirmed. "The moment I lowered my weapon Roslin ordered them to throw Sharon out of the airlock. 'Put that thing out the airlock', she said. After Sharon got us and her precious relic back to the fleet!"  
  
Meridina gave Robert a pointed look at that point. He realized that just that morning he had been expressing a similar thought process. The Cylons as _things_ , not people. And Robert had seen what happened when living breathing people were relegated to "thing" status. _Are we really seeing only one side here?_ , Robert thought. _Have we stepped into two sides trying to exterminate each other and picked a side without finding everything out first?_ Robert swallowed. "Sharon, what was your role in the attack on the Colonies?"  
  
"I came in after the attack," she answered. "I was assigned to find Helo and seduce him. We wanted to see if a Human and Cylon could reproduce."  
  
"But you had no direct role in the genocide of the Colonies?", Robert asked insistently.  
  
"No," Sharon answered.  
  
He looked at her intently, trying to see if he saw any sign of falsehood there. In his gut, his instinct, he could feel she was being truthful.  
  
"But that doesn't change what we did," Sharon added. "While I was with Helo I realized how wrong we were. What the Cylons did to Humans of the Colonies was wrong."  
  
Robert looked sideways to Meridina, who nodded. "I am a _farisa_ , Robert," Meridina reminded him.  "I sense her thoughts even without my _swevyra_. I am not blind to deception. She is not deceiving us."  
  
"But why?", Robert asked. "I can see Roslin thinking an adult Cylon was a threat, but why order the abortion of a baby?"  
  
"Because she's afraid of what our baby is," Helo said. "I'm not sure why, Adama couldn't explain either."  
  
"The baby has genetic abnormalities off Human baseline," Leo explained. "Cottle showed me a sample. I didn't know who it was and they wouldn't say. I didn't know until I was giving Sharon and the baby a checkup and took a scan."  
  
 _I can't believe this is happening_ , Robert thought. _Just when everything was working..._  
  
  
  
  
Roslin remained still as Adama explained what happened to her and Baltar. She didn't seem angry, she was clearly too exhausted to be really angry, but she did look disappointed. "I was afraid it would come to this," she sighed.  
  
"Captain Dale insisted he didn't know and would find out what was going on," Adama said.  
  
"Possibly true," Roslin conceded. "But it's too late for that now. We need to get that Cylon back."  
  
"Honestly, Madame President, why?" Baltar leaned over beside her. "We've learned so much from her already. And the alliance with these people has to be worth more than one Cylon."  
  
"It's not just about the Cylon now, Doctor," Roslin said. "If we don't react to this, we give up our freedom to these people."  
  
"You can't seriously believe..."  
  
"Maybe Captain Dale and his crew mean well. But have you thought about the people who command them? If we let them dictate terms to us without reacting, they'll continue to dictate terms to us. Where we can settle. What we can say." She wheezed. "What lives we can lead. No. We cannot become their complete dependents. We have to assert our independence."  
  
"You're signing your death warrant, ma'am," Baltar reminded her, looking upset. "These people could save you."  
  
"The cost would be too high," she rasped.  
  
"Then as your successor, I plead for you to consider what I'm going to have to...."  
  
"Leave us, Doctor," Roslin insisted. "You can lead the Colonies as you see fit, but until then I am President and I make the decisions."  
  
Baltar opened his mouth to protest but clearly thought better of it. He turned and stormed out.  
  
"He has a point," Adama said. "Whatever you do, he may undo."  
  
"I'll leave you to handle that, Bill, in whatever means you think are necessary," she answered. "But for now, we need to respond. How long ago did you talk to Captain Dale?"  
  
"About half an hour ago."  
  
"And he hasn't called back." Roslin grimaced sadly. "I think someone told them about my orders for the Cylon's baby. I suppose I can't blame them for doing this. But we have to respond. Are those shield systems ready?"  
  
" _Pegasus_ and _Galactica_ have full shield capability now," Adama confirmed. "Their people are looking into modifying our Raptors and ships with their sensors now."  
  
"Raise those shields. Give him ten more minutes," Roslin wheezed. "If he doesn't send the Cylon back, I want you to..." Roslin licked at her dry lips. "...I want you to take those _Aurora_ officers into custody."  
  
Adama lowered his eyes. "Are you sure? Those people have been working day and night to help us."  
  
"It's for their own good," she said. "How do you think our people will react when they hear that they're sheltering a Cylon? It's for the best, Bill. Ten minutes. And then you arrest the _Aurora_ officers."  
  
  
  
  
Robert followed Leo and Meridina into a side office. "What are we going to do about this?", he said hoarsely. "Do you honestly think Adama and Roslin will just overlook this?"  
  
"Offer them more assistance as compensation," Meridina proposed.  
  
"It's not about that and you know it," Robert hissed. "We just slapped them in the face. One of ours went up to them and took their prisoner, saying we don't trust them to do the right thing. That we don't trust their judgement. That we _know better_."  
  
"From where I stand, we _do_ know better," Leo retorted. "This is unconscionable, Rob. We can't let them just kill a woman's baby because of a few genetics tests."  
  
"Need I remind you that the Defense Committee is watching us like hawks, that Hawthorne and Davies are waiting for any excuse to throw us off this ship?", Robert blurted out, going with the fear that was bubbling to the top of his head while the mission unraveled around him. He immediately regretted those words as he saw the bewildered looks on the faces of Meridina and Leo.  
  
"I'm going to pretend that one of my best friends didn't just imply that his job was more important than a woman and her child," Leo said, every word deliberate in its tone.  
  
Robert felt his cheeks burn with shame. "I'm sorry," was all he could say.  
  
He felt a hand take his. He watched Meridina take his left hand into both of hers. "Even the bravest of us feel fear. I have felt such from you for weeks now. I understand, Robert. I know what you're going through and all of those doubts and terrors in your heart. But I know that you are still a brave and good man. Within your heart and _swevyra_ is a well of courage that I have come to appreciate since I met you. The only thing I honor more is the well of empathy that resides beside it. Because of these things, out of all the beings I have met, I have never seen a sense of moral awareness as strongly as yours. You know what the right thing is. And I know you will do it regardless of the cost to yourself."  
  
As she spoke Robert thought he could feel something of her essence. This was more than when they'd mentally bonded so he could share the pain of Cardassian prisoners with her. This was something different, something deeper. He could see himself through her eyes; the Robert Dale that Meridina saw, always caring, always willing to be the first to charge into danger to protect others.  
  
He knew that instinct within him well. It was one that had been unlocked by what the Facility offered him. It was the sense within him that said that evil existed, that some things were just _wrong_ , and that anyone who aspired to do good had to stand before it and say "Enough. No more. I will fight you." Regardless of the consequences.  
  
"Evil triumphs when good men do nothing," he murmured, feeling tears on his cheeks. "Thank you for reminding me of that."  
  
"You already knew," Meridina assured him. "I simply helped you push away the fear that obscured your vision of that."  
  
Robert nodded and took in a breath. "Okay. We'll offer Sharon and Helo asylum. Leo, get with Lieutenant Borja, have her draw up the requests. I need to get the others off of those Battlestars in case things go bad." He reached to his multidevice and hit the comm key. "Dale to Transporter Control. Emergency transport, lock onto our people still on the Colonial ships and energize."  
  
" _Aye sir._ "  
  
"Do you think they'd really take them prisoner?", Leo asked.  
  
"At this point, I don't know," Robert admitted. "It's better not to..."  
  
" _Captain, Transporter Control here. We can't beam anyone aboard._ Galactica _and_ Pegasus _have raised shields._ "  
  
They looked at each other with deep concern. "I need to get to the bridge. Leo, get ready for, well, _anything_."  
  
Robert rushed out.  
  
  
  
  
"Do you really think this will work?" Chief Tyrol looked up from under the electronics station in one of the Raptors.  
  
"I'm hoping it will," Jarod said, kneeling beside him and checking the lines for the naqia micro-reactor they'd just installed. "Fifteen light year sensor range, anything that has the slightest subspace signature will show up." He looked over to the exit. "Tom, how is that external sensor coming?"  
  
"It's coming along frakking well, man," Barnes called out from under the Raptor.  
  
Jarod rolled his eyes and smirked. "Seriously, Tom? You're using that word more than they are."  
  
"I like the Goddamned sound, alright? It feels..."  
  
Barnes came out from under the Raptor in time to see a squad of _Galactica_ 's Marines coming at him at a brisk pace. "Yo, where's the fire...?" he started to ask.  
  
" _Don't move!_ ", one voice boomed back as their weapons came up and pointed at Barnes. " _Hands on your head! Get on the ground NOW!_ "  
  
"What the hell are you....?!" Barnes moved a step forward.  
  
Shots rang out. Blood erupted from his left side and right hip and thigh as two shots struck him. Barnes screamed as he collapsed to the ground. He used a word that he tried to avoid and which was rather similar to the Colonials' 'Frak".  
  
"What the frakking hell?!" Tyrol pulled himself up from his workspace in time to see the Marines move closer. "What in the gods' name are you guys doing?!"  
  
Jarod was already on his multidevice. "Jarod to _Aurora_ , we are under attack, we need immediate beamout! We're being..."  
  
Two more Marines came from around the Raptor and pointed their weapons inside. "Hands on your frakking heads now!"  
  
Jarod and Tyrol obeyed and looked at each other in confusion. Jarod fought down the panic he felt even as he was grabbed by the Marines and pulled to the ground. His arms were twisted behind his back and his wrists secured with ties. He tried to fight down the involuntary panic, the panic that said "The Centre has finally caught you!" whenever he even conceived being this helpless.  
  
"What the hell is going on?!", Tyrol demanded, looking for the man in charge.  
  
"Commander Jarod and Lieutenant Barnes?" The sergeant of the Marines stepped up. "You're both under arrest on suspicion of being Cylon agents." He jerked a thumb toward the panting Barnes. Blood was pouring from his untreated wounds. "Call Doc Cottle for that one, and take both of these toaster-lovers to the brig."  
  
  
  
  
Caterina never saw it coming.  
  
She had been working in a cubby space, an access port for one of _Pegasus_ ' electronic data lines. Suddenly two hands grabbed her feet and yanked her out from the cubby space and to the hall. Two more hands grabbed her collar and lifted her up. At least half a dozen men were glaring at her, all bigger than her and stronger than her. Caterina let out a cry of fright. "Wh-what is going....?"  
  
The first fist smashed into her belly hard enough to make Caterina puke. She doubled over and felt her head spin from nausea. "Should've known you were toaster-lovers," one of the men grumbled. "Yeah, we're onto you. Just your lucky day, you little Cylon-loving bitch, that you're with us instead of those limp-wristed jackoffs on the Bucket."  
  
Caterina began to stammer through the pain and terror. "I-I do-don't kn-kn-know wh-wh-what-t-t you-you're talk...."  
  
She was interrupted as they hauled her back to her feet and another man planted another punch, this time on her face. Pain exploded thorugh the left side of Cat's face and she screamed. Her eye began to sting. "Too bad Lieutenant Thorne's gone," another said. "He'd know what to do with a frakking toaster-lover like you, wouldn't he boys?" That prompted evil laughter from the assembled _Pegasus_ crew.  
  
Up against the wall and hurting, Caterina screamed for help. Instead she took another punch, this one breaking her nose and knocking out a tooth. Blood streaked from her injured face as she hit the ground again. "We j-j-just w-w-want t-t-t-to h-e-elp," she whimpered, starting to sob. "P-p-plea-a-ase d-d-don't h-hit me ag-again..."  
  
A foot smashed into the right side of her face. With her eyes swelling shut Cat could only see swirling colors as she took another kick to the head and another to the belly. Pain exploded down her entire body and she screamed and cried for help again.  
  
The only reply was being picked up again to take another punch.  
  
  
  
  
Lucy's first warning that something was up was when the _Pegasus_ ' shields turned on again without warning.  
  
Still, she worked quietly, monitoring the power flow while checking an open panel of electronics for the sensor upgrade project. All the while she felt that new something inside of her, the _swevyra_ Meridina had taught her to tap into, scream in worry and anticipation. The energy of the ship around her was shifting. Some of the crew was becoming angry.  
  
And then she felt the first surge of _pain_ and a familiar life force within it. "Cat," she murmured.  
  
Boots were clamping down on the metal deck from a distance, growing in intensity. In that moment Lucy knew something was wrong. She left the panel and retreated down one hall to a nearby storage locker. She reached for her belt but was reminded she was unarmed, a concession to friendship that was now proving unwise.  
  
Meridina's voice returned to her mind. _You do not need weapons,_ she had said early in their training. _With_ swevyra _all is possible. Your very essence can protect you from an attacker._  
  
 _Well, I guess I'm about to find out_ , she thought to herself. Lucy felt another surge of terror and pain and knew it was Cat. _They're beating up Cat.... why?! What's going on?!_  
  
The door opened suddenly and two armed crewmen stepped in, brandishing firearms. "There you are!", the lead one barked. "Hands on your frakking head or we'll splatter your brains all over the wall, you frakking Cylon-lover!"  
  
Lucy held her hands up for a moment, thinking. She could feel Caterina hurting and more importantly felt their rage, their hatred. They intended the same for her the moment she was in their power.  
  
Lucy had once been helpless in the power of such men. It was not an experience she intended to repeat.  
  
So she moved.  
  
And the guns went off.  
  
  
  
  
Robert stepped onto the bridge and was met by Julia. "Jarod was calling for help and said he was under attack," she informed him. "We can't get a hold of anyone now."  
  
Robert went for his chair. "Patch me through to _Galactica_."  
  
Jupap, sitting at Ops, nodded. "Opening channel," the Alakin ops officer chirped.  
  
"This is Captain Dale to the _Galactica_ ," Robert said. "Please come in. We can't reach our people."  
  
For a moment there was no response. "Their shields are up," Jupap confirmed.  
  
"Rob, what's going on?", Julia whispered.  
  
"Everything's going to Hell," he replied in a similar hushed tone.  
  
After another ten seconds the hail was answered. " _This is Admiral Adama._ "  
  
"Admiral, we received a distress call from Commander Jarod," Robert said. "And your shields are up so we can't beam him over. Do you know what's going on?"  
  
" _As a matter of fact, I do._ " There was something weary in Adama's voice. It was the sound of a man not entirely pleased with what was being done, but he knew he had to do it. " _Under the orders of President Roslin, I've placed your people under arrest as Cylon agents._ "  
  
Julia's jaw dropped open. "You can't be serious," she hissed.  
  
From Tactical Angel stared daggers at the viewscreen. "Cat," she murmured.  
  
Robert swallowed. "Admiral, this isn't necessary. We can work out an arrangement."  
  
" _They will be returned to you when you return the Cylon to our custody,_ " Adama responded.  
  
Julia stared at Robert. "So Meridina _did_..." She stopped when Robert shook his head at her.  
  
"Admiral, I know what you're planning to do to her," Robert said. "I can understand why you hate Cylons, but it doesn't justify forcing someone to abort their baby."  
  
  
  
  
Adama stood in the CIC with the phone to his head. "That's not your place to decide, Captain. She was our prisoner. Our responsibility. You had no right to seize her from our custody."  
  
" _But you have the right to kill an unborn child?_ "  
  
Adama remained silent while Tigh rolled his eyes. "That's not up for discussion, Captain Dale. Return the Cylon and we'll give your people back. That's all that has to happen here." He lowered the phone somewhat and looked at Tigh. Every bit of his expression told his crew that Adama was, in his own way, begging Captain Dale to acquiesce and to not kill the hopes they'd been feeling since meeting the _Aurora_ crew.  
  
  
  
  
Robert ignored the glaring look from Angel. He could see Julia's jaw was clenched now that she knew the stakes. "Could you give me a guarantee she won't be mistreated?", Robert asked. "And that President Roslin will rescind her order for the forced abortion?"  
  
There was silence at first. Robert bit into his lip a little. _Please, Admiral Adama. Don't do this! We can make it up to you, don't do this out of pride!_  
  
  
  
  
Adama kept his eyes focused on the DRADIS screen. He thought about just agreeing. Get the Cylon back and plead to Roslin to change her mind and avoid a rupture that could doom the Colonial Fleet. Right now his only bargaining chips were the four _Aurora_ officers he was holding.  
  
"I can try to convince the President, yes," he said. "But I won't give a false guarantee." He lowered the receiver and checked DRADIS again. The _Aurora_ had, during their time with the Fleet, positioned itself several thousand caroms out to give it room to maneuver in event of a renewed Cylon attack. But now it meant it had room to maneuver to attack his Battlestars. "Four of your people for one Cylon, Captain. I know how much you care about your crew. Please listen to reason."  
  
  
  
  
"Listen to reason?" Robert frowned. "Me? You're the ones throwing our help back in our faces. You're the ones who've attacked the officers I sent to _help you_ because you want to execute an unborn baby!"  
  
Locarno looked back. "Orders, sir?  
  
  
  
  
"We will not be dictated to," Adama insisted. As he did so he knew where this conversation was headed. And it wasn't in the direction he wanted. He put a hand to his receiver. "Have all Vipers ready to launch. Prepare main guns."  
  
Tigh's expression stiffened. "Yes sir."  
  
  
  
  
"And I won't let you get away with using my people as hostages," Robert retorted. "We can offer you so much, Admiral. A new home. Protection from the Cylons. Maybe... maybe one day we could even get our fleet out to the Colonies and liberate them! But none of this will happen if you don't _stand down now_."  
  
Robert looked to Julia. "Signal Laurent," he mouthed, not even speaking.  
  
Julia nodded with comprehension. She hit a key on her pad, signaling the flight deck to prepare for launch.  
  
  
  
  
Adama clenched his jaw and looked to Tigh, who shook his head. They both knew where this was going. "It's all a waste," Adama lamented. "Such a godsdamned waste." He brought the phone back up. "I'll say it again, Captain. Return the Cylon or your people will stand trial as Cylon agents."  
  
  
  
  
Robert heard the bridge door swish open. Meridina emerged onto the bridge and looked down on him. "You're asking me to send a woman back to your custody to have her baby murdered, and you're holding my people hostage to give me no choice." Robert hit a key to temporarily mute his transmitter, ensuring Adama couldn't her him. "Status on their shields?"  
  
"They're at full power," Jupap reported.  
  
"But they're not very thick," Angel added. "It'll take a few shots but I can destabilize them enough to get a transporter beam through."  
  
"That would require _us_ to lower shields," Julia reminded them all. "We'd need to take out their weapons too. And if we do that, we could leave their entire Fleet defenseless. The Cylons would slaughter them."  
  
"Or we take our chances and lower our shields too to get Cat and the others out." Angel's voice sounded tranquil, but Robert and Julia exchanged worried looks. They knew that tone of voice. A calm before the storm, and a violent storm of rage it would be. "Or we just give them the damn Cylon back."  
  
"Then you would be condemning Sharon's unborn daughter to an abortion," Meridina pointed out calmly from where she was standing.  
  
Angel bit into her lip. "Bastards, those _bastards_ ", she hissed. Tears appeared at the corner of her eyes as her need to protect her sister warred with her beliefs about life and the sanctity of one's own body.  
  
  
  
  
"We're probably going to die, you know."  
  
Adama cast a sideways glance to Tigh. He looked back without apology. "You saw what that thing did to a Cylon Basestar, sir. Those shields they gave us are jury-rigged models. They'll blast through them like tissue paper."  
  
"Which means they can't risk it," Adama pointed out. "If they damage our ships too badly their friends will die too."  
  
"Are you sure of that, sir?", Tigh asked pointedly. "Because this kid doesn't sound like he's going to fold. He might risk it."  
  
"Even if he does disable us... he knows he'd be leaving us defenseless against the Cylons." Adama set his jaw. "He's not going to risk forty eight thousand people for one life."  
  
  
  
  
Robert drew in a breath and swallowed. "You realize that if we do this," he started, "and if we end up crippling those ships.... these people will be defenseless."  
  
"Do you really think Adama would risk that?", Julia asked. "Is one Cylon more important than their entire civilization?"  
  
"I am not sure if he is bluffing or not," Meridina said. "He is a very practical man, but also very capable of standing his ground."  
  
"He's not the only one," Robert murmured. He turned the audio output back on. "Admiral, I'm not letting you hold our people hostage like this. We came to you to help you. And you've betrayed that."  
  
  
  
  
"Your people raided my ship," Adama retorted. "You broke in to a secure section and you stole away a valuable prisoner, all to impose what you decided was right over the decisions of our official leadership. Who are you to say what we can and can't do?"  
  
  
  
  
"I shouldn't have to say that kind of thing!", Robert shouted. The heated tone in his voice was almost startling to those on the bridge. He sounded like he'd been wounded by what Adama was implying. "You should be a moral enough man to know right from wrong!"  
  
  
  
  
Adama's face remained emotionless. In his heart and mind, he felt agreement with that. But he had a duty to perform. And he didn't believe Dale was the kind of man to abandon all that was left of a society like that. "I have an obligation to obey the orders of our civilian leadership," he said, keeping any trace of irony out of his voice. "All I can do is promise you that if you return the Cylon, I'll appeal to President Roslin to allow more time before she makes a decision."  
  
  
  
  
"You and I both know she won't," Robert replied. "She knows she's dying. She won't trust us to save her and she damned well won't leave this for Doctor Baltar will decide. I want _your_ word that no matter what happens, you won't kill that Cylon woman's baby."  
  
  
  
  
Adama closed his eyes. "I can't make that promise, Captain." He looked to Tigh and shook his head.  
  
  
  
  
On the _Aurora_ bridge, Robert closed his eyes and drew in a breath. He looked to Julia and shook his head.  
  
  
  
  
Tigh nodded. "All hands, prepare for battle stations!"  
  
  
  
  
Julia closed her eyes and gave a nod of understanding. "Code Red! All hands man battle stations."  
  
Robert swallowed. "Launch _Koenig_ and all fighters. God forgive us."  
  
  
  
  
"Launch all Vipers," Adama ordered. "Gods have mercy on us all."  
  
  
  
  
From all three ships fighters began to pour out of their quick-launch tubes. The _Aurora_ 's dock door opened up to permit a quick launch deployment of the _Koenig_ , which came about and took a vector approaching the _Pegasus_ and its fleet of fighters.  
  
On the bridge of the _Koenig_ Zack was closing his eyes and praying. His friends were on those ships.... was it really going to come to this?  
  
  
  
  
Lee Adama moved his fighter into defensive formation and looked at the approaching Mongoose fighters of the Alliance ship. The shape would have been more similar if not for the wings on the Mongoose fighters, engine nacelles visible at the apex of the wings "above" the fighter's main hull.  
  
"Everyone stand by. Do not fire unless we get the order from _Galactica_ ," he ordered.  
  
  
  
  
In the _Galactica_ CIC Adama watched the developing tactical situation on the DRADIS. "Have the Fleet jump to emergency coordinates as soon as their drives spool up," he ordered. "I want them out of the line of fire."  
  
"He's going to do it," Tigh breathed. "He's going to attack us."  
  
"Sir..." Gaeta looked up from where he was monitoring, among other things, the new hardlight display showing their shield status and controls. It stood out in the CIC, a stark reminder of what the _Aurora_ crew had helped them with. "Can't we..."  
  
"We cannot, Mister Gaeta," Adama said gruffly, cutting him off. "If we back down now, we'll always back down."  
  
"This is crazy, sir! One Cylon can't be worth..."  
  
"Belay that talk, Mister!", Tigh shouted.  
  
Gaeta paled and nodded stiffly. "I'm picking up active scans from weapons systems. Their fighters are locking on to _Galactica_ and to our fighters."  
  
"Lock our weapons on their fighters, if they shoot at our people shoot back," Adama ordered.  
  
  
  
  
"Fighters report weapons lock on the _Galactica_. _Koenig_ has locked weapons on _Pegasus_ ," Jupap said. "They are waiting for your order to engage."  
  
It was the moment of decision. Robert felt like he was alone in the central chair, the weight of the dilemma starting to crush him. Four of his people, of his _friends_ , were at stake.  
  
And so was an innocent, unborn life, to be snuffed out because of a dying woman's prejudice.  
  
"Sir, I have weapons locks," Angel reminded him. "Permission to fire?"  
  
"There has to be another way," Julia said. She shook her head. "Something better than this."  
  
"If we back down, then what do we stand for?", Robert asked. "We're just saying it's okay for prejudice to do horrible things because it's practical. I... I don't think I can live like that. And I think they'd understand. Tom, Jarod, Cat, Lucy... they all signed on believing in doing what was right. They'll understand." He took in a breath. "They'll understand," he repeated, as if trying to convince himself.  
  
"Aurora, _enemy fighters weapons are hot. Do we have permission to engage?_ "  
  
And so it came down to this. More than his decision at LA33, or at Krellan Nebula, or in the DMZ.... this was the big one for Robert Dale. This was where he had to decide what mattered to him. His friends were being threatened because of his principles, and his choice was to give in on the things he believed or to act to get his friends back, regardless of the consequences.  
  
He looked back to Meridina, who was watching him closely, conflict all over her face. She had set this into motion. Now she had to watch him take up the burden of finishing her action.  
  
He swallowed... and he decided.  
  
" _ **Fire.**_ "

  
  
  
  


**_To Be Continued...._ **


End file.
